Breakdown of På fjernsyn ser vi enten fotballkampen eller et gammelt drama.
vi
we
et
a
se
to watch
på
on
eller
or
gammel
old
fjernsynet
the television
enten
either
fotballkampen
the football match
dramaet
the drama
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Questions & Answers about På fjernsyn ser vi enten fotballkampen eller et gammelt drama.
What does På fjernsyn mean and how is it used?
På fjernsyn literally means “on television” (just like “on TV” in English). It’s an adverbial phrase made from the preposition på + the noun fjernsyn. When Norwegians talk about watching TV in general, they drop any article and simply say på fjernsyn (or more colloquially på TV).
Why does the verb ser come before the subject vi in “På fjernsyn ser vi…”?
This follows the Norwegian V2 (verb-second) word-order rule for main clauses: the finite verb must occupy the second position. Here, the first position is the adverbial phrase På fjernsyn, so the verb ser comes next, and then the subject vi.
How does the structure enten … eller work?
Enten … eller means “either … or.” You place enten before the first option and eller before the second. It joins two alternatives:
- enten fotballkampen (“either the football match”)
- eller et gammelt drama (“or an old drama”)
Why is fotballkampen definite but et gammelt drama indefinite?
- Fotballkampen is in the definite form (ending -en) because it refers to a specific match (the one currently on TV).
- Et gammelt drama remains indefinite (with et and no ending on drama) because it’s just “an old drama,” not one particular drama.
Why does gammelt end with -t in et gammelt drama?
In Norwegian, adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Drama is a neuter noun, so:
- the indefinite article is et
- the adjective takes a neuter -t ending ⇒ gammelt drama
Why is there no article before fjernsyn in this sentence?
When you use fjernsyn to mean “TV” as a medium (“on TV”), it’s treated like an adverbial and you omit any article. If you meant the physical set you could say et fjernsyn (‘a TV set’) or fjernsynet (‘the TV set’).
What’s the difference between på fjernsyn and i fjernsynet?
- På fjernsyn = “on television” (the standard way to say “on TV” when talking about programs).
- I fjernsynet = “in the television set,” referring more to the physical device or something happening inside it. Native speakers almost always use på TV/fjernsyn for watching programs.
Can I swap the order of the two options (put et gammelt drama first)?
Yes. You can say:
“På fjernsyn ser vi enten et gammelt drama eller fotballkampen.”
Just keep enten … eller around the two choices. The meaning stays the same.
Is På TV ser vi enten fotballkampen eller et gammelt drama acceptable instead of på fjernsyn?
Absolutely. TV is more colloquial and very common in spoken and written Norwegian. Both sentences are correct and mean the same thing.