Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Anna synes det er kjedelig å vente i kø, men hun har flaks i dag. - Anna thinks it is boring to wait in line, but she is lucky today.

In Norwegian, the conjunction at (“that”) is optional after verbs like synes. Both Anna synes (at) det er kjedelig… and Anna synes det er kjedelig… are correct; omitting at is very common in speech and informal writing.

What is the role of det in det er kjedelig?

This det is a dummy (or expletive) subject, just like “it” in English “it is boring.” Norwegian requires a subject in that position, so det fills the slot even though it doesn’t refer to anything specific.

Why do we use å before vente?

The particle å marks the infinitive of a verb in Norwegian, equivalent to English “to.” So å vente literally means “to wait.”

Why is kø preceded by i?

I kø means “in line” or “in a queue.” The preposition i is the standard choice in Norwegian to express being physically in a line.

What does flaks mean, and how is it different from heldig?

Flaks is a noun meaning “luck” (specifically good luck). Hun har flaks = “she has luck.” Heldig is an adjective meaning “lucky,” so hun er heldig = “she is lucky.” Both convey a similar idea but use different parts of speech.

Why is i dag placed at the end of men hun har flaks i dag?

In Norwegian main clauses, time adverbials like i dag (“today”) often come at the end without triggering inversion. The sentence follows the standard Subject–Verb–Object–Adverbial order.

What word‐order rules apply after men?

Men is a coordinating conjunction meaning “but.” After it, you continue with normal main‐clause word order: Subject (hun), Verb (har), Object/Complement (flaks), etc.