Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Norwegian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Stuen blir støvsuget i dag.
What is the function of blir in this sentence and how does it relate to the passive voice?
In Norwegian, bli (in the present tense blir) plus the past participle støvsuget forms the passive voice. So stuen blir støvsuget literally means “the living room is being vacuumed.” It corresponds to the English present continuous passive (“is being vacuumed”).
Why do we say støvsuget here, and what form of the verb is it?
Støvsuget is the past participle of støvsuge (“to vacuum”). In passive constructions with bli, you attach the past participle after bli:
blir + støvsuget = “is vacuumed/is being vacuumed.”
Could we alternatively say stuen støvsuges i dag? If so, what’s the difference?
Yes. That’s the -s passive (also called the infinitive passive): stuen støvsuges i dag means exactly the same (“The living room is being vacuumed today”). The -s form is often more formal or written, while bli + participle is more common in speech and emphasizes the action taking place.
Why is there no separate word for “the” before stuen?
Norwegian uses a suffixed definite article. Stue = “a living room,” and stuen = “the living room.” You don’t need a separate den or det when the article is attached to the noun.
Where can i dag be placed in the sentence? Can it go at the beginning?
Yes. Norwegian allows fronting of time adverbs. You can say either:
- Stuen blir støvsuget i dag.
- I dag blir stuen støvsuget.
Both are correct; starting with i dag simply puts more emphasis on today.
How do you pronounce stuen and støvsuget?
Stuen: /ˈstuːən/ (roughly “STOO-en”).
Støvsuget: /ˈʃtøːvsʉːɡə/ (roughly “SHTEU-vsoo-geh”), where ø is similar to the “i” in “sir” (British) and u like “oo” in “food.”
What’s the nuance between blir støvsuget and skal støvsuge stuen i dag?
- blir støvsuget is passive: “is being vacuumed,” focusing on the action happening to the room.
- skal støvsuge stuen is active with skal (“will/shall vacuum”), focusing on someone’s plan or intention to vacuum the room.
They’re not interchangeable: one highlights the passive result, the other the agent’s intention.