Learn Hardcore Norwegian: I helgen skal jeg rydde boden. - This weekend I will tidy the storage room.

I helgen translates to “this weekend” or “over the weekend.” In Norwegian, en helg (a weekend) has two common definite forms: helgen and helga. Both are acceptable in Bokmål, but helgen is more common in formal writing. Saying i helga is also perfectly fine in speech and many dialects—just a stylistic or regional choice.

Why does skal come before jeg, so the sentence is I helgen skal jeg rydde boden instead of I helgen jeg skal rydde boden?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb (here skal) must appear in the second position. When you place an adverbial like I helgen first, skal takes the second slot and the subject jeg follows. If you started with jeg, you’d get Jeg skal rydde boden i helgen—both are correct but with different focus.

What is the function of skal in this sentence?

Skal is a modal verb expressing future action or intention. It’s equivalent to English will or be going to. Here, skal tells us the speaker plans to tidy the storage room (boden) during the weekend.

Why is there no å before rydde?

After modal verbs like skal, Norwegian infinitives drop the particle å. So you say skal rydde (“will tidy”) instead of skal å rydde.

Can’t I say rydde opp instead of rydde?

Yes. Rydde opp is a phrasal verb meaning “to tidy up” or “to clean up.” Just rydde also works and means “to clear,” “to arrange,” or “to tidy.” Adding opp emphasizes completing the tidying, but both forms are correct.

What is boden, and why is it in the definite form?

Boden is the definite singular of en bod (“a storage room” or “a shed”). Using boden (“the storage room”) indicates a specific space that the speaker and listener both know about, rather than just any storage room.

Could I use til helgen or neste helg instead of i helgen?

Yes. Til helgen (“for the weekend”) is a casual alternative meaning “by this upcoming weekend” or “this weekend.” Neste helg means “next weekend” and usually refers to the upcoming one if you’re speaking before it starts. Subtle nuance: i helgen always means the current/upcoming weekend, while neste helg can sometimes sound like the one after if you’re already in the current weekend.