Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Før jeg legger meg, glemmer jeg tannbørsten noen ganger. - Before I go to bed, I sometimes forget the toothbrush.

The verb å legge normally means “to lay (something) down,” but when you add the reflexive pronoun seg it becomes å legge seg, meaning “to go to bed.” In the first person, seg changes to meg, so jeg legger meg literally means “I lay myself down,” i.e. “I go to bed.”

Why does the subordinate clause før jeg legger meg keep the order Subject-Verb-Object instead of putting the verb at the end?

In Norwegian subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions like før, fordi or hvis, you keep the normal SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) order. Unlike German, Norwegian does not move the finite verb to the end in subordinate clauses. So you say jeg legger (not legger jeg or jeg meg legger).

Is the comma after Før jeg legger meg mandatory?

No, it’s not strictly mandatory in modern Norwegian, but it’s common to put a comma after a fronted subordinate clause to clarify the sentence structure. In informal writing you might skip it, but it often makes the sentence easier to read.

Could I also say jeg glemmer tannbørsten noen ganger før jeg legger meg?

Yes. Placing the subordinate clause at the end is perfectly fine: Jeg glemmer tannbørsten noen ganger før jeg legger meg. The word order inside the subordinate clause stays the same (SVO), and you don’t need a comma when the clause follows the main clause.

Why is tannbørsten in the definite form (-en) instead of saying en tannbørste?

Using tannbørsten (the toothbrush) implies you’re talking about a specific toothbrush you normally use. If you say en tannbørste, it just means “a toothbrush” in general. In this sentence you’re forgetting your regular toothbrush, hence the definite form.

What kind of word is noen ganger, and why is it placed at the end?

Noen ganger is an adverbial phrase meaning “sometimes.” In Norwegian, adverbs of frequency typically go after the main verb or after the object, often at the end of the clause. You could also say jeg glemmer noen ganger tannbørsten, but …tannbørsten noen ganger is the most natural placement here.

Why doesn’t the main clause invert when the subordinate clause comes first?

Inversion (verb-second) happens in main clauses when a simple adverbial (like i går, i dag, ofte) is fronted. A subordinate clause (like Før jeg legger meg) is treated as a separate unit, so the main clause that follows remains in normal order: jeg glemmer…, not glemmer jeg….

Can I use før jeg sovner instead of før jeg legger meg?

Yes, but there’s a nuance. Å legge seg means “to go to bed,” while å sovne means “to fall asleep.” Før jeg sovner would be “before I fall asleep” (perhaps you’re forgetting something once you’re already in bed), whereas før jeg legger meg is “before I get into bed.” Choose based on the exact meaning you want.