Jeg tørker bordet hver dag.

I dry the table every day.

Breakdown of Jeg tørker bordet hver dag.

• jeg: I
• hver: every
• dagen: the day
• bordet: the table
• tørke: to dry

Questions & Answers about Jeg tørker bordet hver dag.

Why is tørker used here, and how do you conjugate å tørke in the present tense?

Norwegian present-tense verbs are very regular. To form the present tense of å tørke (to dry/wipe):

1. Start with the infinitive: å tørke
2. Drop the final -e
3. Add -r

This gives tørker for all persons:

• jeg tørker
• du tørker
• han/hun tørker, etc.

This single form covers both simple present and what in English is the continuous (“I am wiping”).

Why is bordet used instead of bord? What does the -et ending indicate?

In Norwegian, the definite article is often suffixed to the noun. Bord is a neuter noun (an “et-word”):

• Indefinite singular: et bord (a table)
• Definite singular: bordet (the table)

So bordet literally means the table.

Where should I place the time expression hver dag in the sentence?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 (verb-second) rule. Time adverbials like hver dag (every day) can go either:

1. At the beginning (before the verb):
   Hver dag tørker jeg bordet.

2. At the end (after the object):
   Jeg tørker bordet hver dag.

Both mean “I wipe the table every day.”

Could I use a different word for “every day,” such as daglig?

Yes. Daglig is an adverb meaning “daily” and is slightly more formal:

• Jeg tørker bordet daglig.

However, hver dag is more common in spoken and informal Norwegian.

Isn’t “wipe” translated as vaske? When do I use tørke vs. vaske?

They have different meanings:

• vaske = to wash/clean with water or detergent
• tørke = to dry or wipe off moisture/dirt with a cloth

Examples:

• Jeg vasker bordet. (I wash the table with water.)
• Jeg tørker bordet. (I dry/wipe the table afterward.)

Can I say Jeg tørker av bordet instead? What does av add?

Yes. tørke av is a separable verb meaning “wipe off” or “wipe down.” The particle av emphasizes removing moisture/dirt from the surface. Both are correct:

• Jeg tørker bordet.
• Jeg tørker av bordet.

How do I form the passive voice of this sentence?

You can turn it into a passive by moving the object into subject position and using the passive suffix -s on the verb:

• Bordet tørkes hver dag.
  (This means “The table is wiped every day.”)

How can I express that I’m in the middle of wiping the table, like the English present continuous?

Norwegian doesn’t have a continuous tense. Use either the simple present or the construction å holde på å + infinitive:

• Jeg tørker bordet nå. (I am wiping the table now.)
• Jeg holder på å tørke bordet. (I am in the process of wiping the table.)

How do I negate this sentence? Where do I put ikke?

You normally place ikke right after the finite verb:

• Jeg tørker ikke bordet hver dag.
  (= I don’t wipe the table every day.)

If you want to negate just the frequency, you can also say:

• Jeg tørker bordet ikke hver dag.
  (= I don’t wipe the table every day—implying you do it sometimes but not daily.)