Heisen er forsinket, så vi går opp én etasje til fots.

The elevator is delayed, so we walk up one floor on foot.

Breakdown of Heisen er forsinket, så vi går opp én etasje til fots.

• være: to be
• vi: we
• så: so
• heisen: the elevator
• forsinket: delayed
• gå opp: to walk up
• én: one
• etasjen: the floor
• til fots: on foot

Questions & Answers about Heisen er forsinket, så vi går opp én etasje til fots.

What kind of word is forsinket here, and why isn’t it inflected as forsinkede?

It’s the past participle of the verb forsinke used in a passive sense (“is delayed”). Past participles used to form passive verbs remain uninflected in Bokmål. In other words, forsinket here isn’t acting as an adjective that agrees with heisen, but as part of the passive construction:

• Heisen er (ble) forsinket – “The elevator is (got) delayed.”

We only add adjective endings to descriptive adjectives, not to passive participles.

Why is the number én written with an accent instead of just en?

– en without an accent is identical to the indefinite article “a/an.”
– én with an accent clearly marks the numeral “one.”

Using én etasje removes any doubt that you mean “one floor” (and not “a floor”). The accent is optional in most texts but recommended whenever you want to avoid ambiguity or add emphasis.

Could I also write en etasje or even say første etasje?

Yes.

• en etasje (no accent) is grammatically correct, though readers might momentarily see it as “a floor.”
• første etasje translates to “first floor,” which labels the floor’s position. én etasje focuses on the action of going “one” floor up rather than naming which floor it is.

What does gå opp mean, and why isn’t it just gå?

gå opp is a two-part verb meaning “go up.” The particle opp specifies upward motion, typically on stairs:

• vi går opp én etasje – “we go up one floor”

By contrast, gå alone simply means “go” without indicating direction.

What does til fots mean, and can I use any other phrase for “on foot”?

til fots is an idiomatic adverb meaning “on foot.” You can’t say i fot or med fot in Norwegian. If you want alternatives:

• gå til fots – to go on foot
• vandre – to hike or walk for longer distances (more formal)

Why is så used here, rather than fordi or derfor?

– så is a coordinating conjunction meaning “so/therefore,” linking two main clauses directly:
Heisen er forsinket, så vi går opp én etasje til fots.
– fordi means “because” and introduces a subordinate clause:
Vi går opp én etasje til fots fordi heisen er forsinket.
– derfor is an adverb meaning “therefore” and would require inversion of the subject and verb:
Heisen er forsinket. Derfor går vi opp én etasje til fots.