Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Temperaturen faller raskt etter solnedgang, så ungdommen henter skjerfene sine. - The temperature drops quickly after sunset, so the youth fetch their scarves.

faller is the present tense form of the verb falle (“to fall”). In Norwegian, you form the present tense by adding -r (for most verbs) to the infinitive. So:
• å falle → faller (“is falling” or “falls”).
It describes an action or change happening right now or generally.

Why is raskt used instead of rask?

raskt is an adverb modifying the verb faller. Adjectives like rask (“fast”) change to adverbs by adding -t (in neuter form) or -t/-tt for many adjectives. So:
• rask (adj.) → raskt (adv.)
It tells us how the temperature falls: it falls quickly.

What does etter solnedgang literally mean and how does it compare to etter at solen har gått ned?

• etter solnedgang literally = “after sunset.”
• etter at solen har gått ned = “after the sun has gone down.”
Norwegian often uses the noun phrase etter solnedgang for brevity. Both are correct, but the first is more idiomatic and compact.

What is the difference between ungdom and ungdommen?

• ungdom = “youth” (indefinite, can mean youth in general or a young person)
• ungdommen = “the youth” (definite form, refers to a specific group of young people)
By adding -en, you make the noun definite (like adding “the” in English).

Why do we say skjerfene and not just skjerf?

skjerfene is the definite plural form of skjerf (“scarf”).
Forms of skjerf:
• Indefinite singular: et skjerf (“a scarf”)
• Indefinite plural: skjerf (“scarves”)
• Definite plural: skjerfene (“the scarves”)
Here we refer to specific scarves the youths own, so we use the definite plural.

What is sine in skjerfene sine, and why does it agree in number?

sine is a reflexive possessive pronoun meaning “their own.” It refers back to the subject (ungdommen). Reflexive possessives must agree in number and gender with the noun they modify:
• sine skjerf = “their (own) scarves.”
Since skjerfene is plural, we use sine (plural masculine/feminine/neuter form).

Why is henter used here instead of tar?

• henter = “fetches” or “goes to get.” It emphasizes movement to where the scarves are located.
• tar = “takes.” It just means picking something up or taking possession.
In this context, the youths are going to retrieve their scarves, so henter is more precise.

How does the compound solnedgang work?

Norwegian often glues words together to form compounds:
• sol (“sun”) + ned (“down”) + gang (“going”) → solnedgang (“sunset”).
The main element is gang, qualified by “sun down,” giving the combined meaning.

Why doesn’t så here cause inversion of subject and verb in the second clause?

Here så means “so” (coordinating conjunction), linking two main clauses. Coordinating conjunctions (like og “and”, men “but”, så “so”) do not trigger inversion. You keep the normal main‐clause word order: Subject (ungdommen) + Verb (henter).

Why is there a comma before så?

In Norwegian, you typically place a comma before a coordinating conjunction when it joins two main clauses for clarity, though it’s not always mandatory. Here it separates:
1) Temperaturen faller raskt etter solnedgang,
2) så ungdommen henter skjerfene sine.