Jeg hører musikken tydeligere nå.

I hear the music more clearly now.

Breakdown of Jeg hører musikken tydeligere nå.

• jeg: I
• nå: now
• musikken: the music
• høre: to hear
• tydeligere: clearer

Questions & Answers about Jeg hører musikken tydeligere nå.

Why is the verb hører used here, and what does it mean?

hører is the present tense form of the verb å høre, which means “to hear.” In this sentence it tells us that “I hear” the music right now.

Why is there no preposition before musikken like in English where we say “listen to”?

In Norwegian høre simply takes a direct object when you mean “to perceive sound.” You only use a preposition (lytte til) when you mean “actively listen to.” So:
• Jeg hører musikken = “I hear the music.”
• Jeg lytter til musikken = “I listen to the music.”

Why is musikken in the definite form (with -en) instead of just musikk?

Because the sentence refers to the music (perhaps the music playing right now). In Norwegian you mark “the” by attaching the definite ending to the noun:
• musikk = “music” (indefinite)
• musikken = “the music” (definite)

What does tydeligere mean, and why does it end in -ere?

tydeligere is the comparative form of the adjective tydelig (“clear”). The ending -ere makes it “clearer” (or “more clearly” when used adverbially).

How do you form comparatives of adjectives like tydelig in Norwegian?

Most Norwegian adjectives form the comparative by adding -ere to the stem:
• stor – større (big – bigger)
• vakker – vakrere (beautiful – more beautiful)
• tydelig – tydeligere (clear – clearer)

For some one-syllable adjectives you add -ere or double a consonant (e.g. lang – lengre).

Why is nå placed at the end of the sentence, and could it go somewhere else?

In Norwegian main clauses you normally have Subject – Verb – (Objects/Adverbs). Time adverbs like nå (“now”) can go after the object or between verb and object. All are grammatical but with slightly different emphasis:
• Jeg hører musikken tydeligere nå. (neutral)
• Nå hører jeg musikken tydeligere. (puts extra focus on now)

What word-order rule does this sentence illustrate?

It shows the V2 rule (verb-second). The finite verb (hører) always comes second in a statement, right after the first constituent (here the subject jeg). Everything else follows: object (musikken), adverb (tydeligere), then time adverb (nå).