Kan du fjerne papiret fra bordet?

Can you remove the paper from the table?

Breakdown of Kan du fjerne papiret fra bordet?

• du: you
• fra: from
• kunne: can
• bordet: the table
• papiret: the paper
• fjerne: to remove

Questions & Answers about Kan du fjerne papiret fra bordet?

What does fjerne mean here, and how does it differ from ta bort?

fjerne means “to remove” or “to take away.” It’s a neutral, slightly more formal verb than ta bort, but both are interchangeable in this context.
• Kan du fjerne papiret fra bordet?
• Kan du ta bort papiret fra bordet?
Both sentences ask someone to remove the paper from the table; use fjerne in writing or when you want a more “official” tone, and ta bort in casual speech.

Why are papiret and bordet in the definite form, and how do I form that in Norwegian?

In Norwegian you put nouns into the definite form when you refer to a specific object:
• et papir → papiret (“the paper”)
• et bord → bordet (“the table”)
You add -et to neutral nouns ending in -r or -er. This is like English “the,” but it’s a suffix rather than a separate word.

Why is fra used here? Could I use av or på instead?

fra means “from,” indicating motion away from a surface.
• fra bordet = from the table
på means “on” (location), so på bordet describes where something is, not removing it.
av is rarely used for surfaces (it’s more common with people, e.g. et råd av henne). Always use fra when you want to remove something from an object.

What is the word order in a yes/no question like this?

Norwegian uses Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) in yes/no questions. The pattern is:

1. Verb (kan)
2. Subject (du)
3. Rest of the sentence (fjerne papiret fra bordet)
   So Kan du fjerne papiret fra bordet? follows VSO exactly. If you insert an adverb, it comes after the subject: Kan du i morgen fjerne papiret…?

Is Kan du fjerne papiret fra bordet? an imperative or a question?

It’s a question-form request (polite request), not a direct command. It literally asks “Can you remove…?” To issue a direct command, you’d use the imperative:
• Fjern papiret fra bordet.
Both forms ask someone to take the paper off the table, but Kan du…? is softer and more polite.

Can I replace kan with vil to say Vil du fjerne papiret fra bordet??

Yes. kan du (“can you”) focuses on ability but is used as a polite request. vil du (“will you”) focuses on willingness. Neither is wrong, but vil du can sound even more like asking someone’s cooperation or decision.

Do I have to use du here? How would I address multiple people or make a general instruction?

• To address one person: Kan du fjerne papiret fra bordet?
• To address several people: Kan dere fjerne papiret fra bordet?
• For a general instruction or sign, drop the pronoun and use the imperative: Fjern papiret fra bordet.

Are there any spoken contractions for Kan du, and should I use them in writing?

In informal speech you might hear ka du (especially in Eastern dialects) or kan’ du, but these are strictly colloquial. In writing and standard spoken Norwegian, stick to Kan du.