Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Kampen starter tidlig fordi dommeren er streng. - The match starts early because the referee is strict.

In Norwegian (as in English), the first word of a sentence is always written with an initial capital letter. The base word kamp means “match” or “game,” and -en makes it definite (“the match”).

What does the -en ending in Kampen indicate?

The -en suffix is the definite article for a common-gender noun in Bokmål. kamp is “a match,” while kampen is “the match.”

Could you use begynner instead of starter here?

Yes. begynner (from begynne) and starter (from starte) are near-synonyms meaning “begins/starts.” You can say Kampen begynner tidlig fordi dommeren er streng with no change in meaning.

Why is tidlig placed after starter and not at the very beginning?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule (verb-second). With the subject Kampen in first position, the finite verb starter must come second, so the time adverb tidlig follows the verb. If you put tidlig first, you’d invert subject and verb: Tidlig starter kampen…

Why is there no comma before fordi?

In Norwegian, commas before subordinate conjunctions like fordi (“because”) are optional and commonly omitted. You would only add one if the sentence is unusually long or for clarity.

Why does fordi not invert the subject and verb in the clause fordi dommeren er streng?

Unlike some conjunctions in other languages, fordi introduces a subordinate clause without triggering inversion. The normal word order of subject–verb–object/adverb remains intact within that clause.

Why is dommeren in the definite form? Could I say en dommer instead?

Using dommeren (“the referee”) implies a specific person. If you said en dommer (“a referee”), it would sound like you’re referring to any referee in general, which changes the nuance.

Can I replace fordi with siden or ettersom?

Yes. All three can express cause:

fordi emphasizes direct cause (“because”).
siden often means “since” (background reason).
ettersom is more formal (“as, since”).
E.g. Kampen starter tidlig siden dommeren er streng or … ettersom dommeren er streng.

What’s the difference between tidlig and tidligere?

tidlig means “early,” whereas tidligere is the comparative “earlier.” So starter tidlig = “starts early,” but starter tidligere = “starts earlier” (than something else).