Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg mister appetitten hvis jeg ser for mange mygg rundt maten. - I lose my appetite if I see too many mosquitoes around the food.

Here mister comes from the verb miste, which means “to lose.” So jeg mister appetitten literally means “I lose the appetite,” i.e. “I lose my appetite.”

Why is appetitten in the definite form instead of the indefinite?

In Norwegian, certain things like body functions, personal states and emotions often take the definite form. Using appetitten (“the appetite”) generalizes the concept rather than making it “an appetite.”

What does for mange mean?

For mange is a quantifier meaning “too many” when modifying countable nouns. So for mange mygg = “too many mosquitoes.”

Why is there no preposition between mister and appetitten?

The verb miste is transitive and directly takes its object. You don’t need a preposition: you simply say miste noe = “lose something.”

Could you explain the use of hvis here?

Hvis means “if” and introduces a real condition. This clause, hvis jeg ser for mange mygg rundt maten, expresses the situation that causes the loss of appetite.

What tense is ser and why is it used for a future possibility?

Ser is present tense of se (“to see”). In Norwegian, present tense often covers future or hypothetical actions when combined with words like hvis.

Can I invert the sentence and still be correct?

Yes. You can start with the hvis clause and then invert the verb and subject in the main clause:
Hvis jeg ser for mange mygg rundt maten, mister jeg appetitten.

Is there any alternative to mygg for “mosquitoes”?

Mygg is the standard word in Norwegian. You might hear dialectal variants or colloquial terms, but mygg is the correct, neutral term.