Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Han ser seg i speilet før han drar. - He looks at himself in the mirror before he leaves.

Seg is the third-person singular reflexive pronoun. It refers back to the subject han (“he”) and means “himself.” In Norwegian, when the subject acts on itself, you use seg as the object of the verb.

Why isn’t there a word for “at” like in English “look at”?

In English you “look at” something, but in Norwegian se (to see) is a transitive verb and can take a direct object without a preposition. If you specifically want “look at” in the sense of examining, you use se på.

Why is speilet in the definite form?

We use the definite form (speil-et) when referring to a specific mirror that both speaker and listener understand, or that belongs to the subject. So speilet means “the mirror.” If you meant “a mirror” in general, you’d say et speil.

What role does før play here?

Før is a subordinating conjunction meaning “before.” It introduces the clause før han drar, which tells us what happens prior to him leaving.

Why is drar placed at the end of før han drar?