Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Barna vil bade i sjøen hvis værvarselet sier at det ikke er torden. - The children will swim in the sea if the weather forecast says there is no thunder.

barna is the definite plural form of barn (“child”). In Norwegian you add the suffix -a to a neuter noun to mark it as “the children” (as opposed to indefinite barn for “children”).

What does vil indicate here, and how is it different from skal?

vil is the present tense of ville, used here to express intent or future (“will bathe”). skal can also mark future, but often carries a sense of obligation or a plan already arranged (“shall” or “going to”). vil is more about a desire or decision.

Does bade mean “to bathe”, “to swim” or both?

bade covers both meanings. In this context, bade i sjøen means “go swimming in the sea” (a recreational dip), even though a more literal translation is “bathe”.

Why is the phrase i sjøen used here and why is sjøen definite?

The preposition i means “in,” so i sjøen = “in the sea.” sjøen is the definite form of sjø (“sea”), so it specifies which body of water—“the sea” rather than just “a sea.”

What does hvis mean and how does it differ from om and når?

hvis means “if” for conditional situations. om can also mean “if” in indirect questions or less formal speech, but hvis is more common for conditions. når means “when” and implies you expect the event to happen, not just a hypothetical.

What does værvarselet mean and why is it written with the suffix -et?

værvarselet is “the weather forecast.” The base noun is værvarsel (“weather forecast”), and -et is the definite singular ending, turning it into “the forecast.”

In the clause “sier at det ikke er torden”, why is the verb sier in present tense, what is the role of at, and why is det there?

Norwegian uses the present tense for reporting speech, even about future or past events, so sier = “says.” at is the conjunction “that,” introducing the subordinate clause. det is a dummy subject (“it”) used before er torden (“is thunder”), similarly to English “it is raining.”

What does torden mean exactly, and could you rephrase “hvis værvarselet sier at det ikke er torden” as “hvis det ikke tordner”?

torden is the noun “thunder” (the sound). You can indeed say hvis det ikke tordner (“if it doesn’t thunder”), which uses the verb tordne. Both expressions are natural; the original focuses on the forecast’s statement, while the alternative directly describes the weather event.