På grunn av regnet må vi kansellere reisen i dag.

Because of the rain, we must cancel the trip today.

Breakdown of På grunn av regnet må vi kansellere reisen i dag.

• vi: we
• i dag: today
• måtte: must
• regnet: the rain
• på grunn av: because of
• reisen: the trip
• kansellere: to cancel

Questions & Answers about På grunn av regnet må vi kansellere reisen i dag.

What does på grunn av mean and how do I use it?

på grunn av means “due to” or “because of.” It’s a prepositional phrase that introduces the reason for something. It’s followed by a noun or pronoun (often in the definite form if you refer to a specific cause). Example: på grunn av regnet (because of the rain).

Why is regnet in the definite form here? Can’t I say på grunn av regn?

You can say på grunn av regn when you speak generally about rainfall. Using regnet (the definite form) refers to “the rain that’s falling now.” Since this sentence talks about the actual rain today, you say regnet.

Why does the verb må come before the subject vi (verb–subject inversion)?

Norwegian follows the V2 (verb-second) rule: the finite verb must be the second element in a main clause. If you start with an adverbial like på grunn av regnet, the verb moves to position two, and the subject follows. Hence:

1. På grunn av regnet
2. må
3. vi
   …må vi kansellere reisen i dag.

Why is the noun reisen without a separate article? How do I know it’s definite?

In Norwegian, the definite article is attached as a suffix. reise means “trip,” and reisen means “the trip.” You don’t need a separate den. If it were indefinite, you’d say en reise.

The sentence uses kansellere. Can I use avlyse instead?

Yes. Both verbs mean “to cancel.” kansellere is a loanword (from English/French) and sounds a bit more formal. avlyse is native Norwegian and is common for canceling events. You could say avlyse reisen or kansellere reisen, though kansellere fits well in more formal contexts.

Where can I place the time expression i dag in the sentence?

Time expressions are flexible. Besides placing i dag at the end, you can move it to the beginning or right after the verb, as long as you keep the verb-second rule. For example:
• I dag må vi på grunn av regnet kansellere reisen.
• Vi må i dag på grunn av regnet kansellere reisen.

Is there a common abbreviation for på grunn av?

In writing (especially informal notes or texts), you often see pga. or p.g.a. However, in speech you normally say the full phrase på grunn av.