Breakdown of På gatehjørnet venter en turist som trenger hjelp.
en
a
trenge
to need
på
at
vente
to wait
som
who
hjelpen
the help
gatehjørnet
the street corner
turisten
the tourist
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Questions & Answers about På gatehjørnet venter en turist som trenger hjelp.
Why is På gatehjørnet at the beginning of the sentence instead of the subject?
Norwegian is a V2 (verb-second) language. When you start a sentence with an adverbial (like På gatehjørnet), the finite verb (venter) must come next, and the subject (en turist) follows the verb. This fronting lets you emphasize location first.
What does på mean in this sentence?
På is a preposition meaning “on” or “at.” Here it locates the action: “at the street corner.”
Why is gatehjørnet in the definite form (ending with -et)?
Gatehjørne (street corner) is a neuter noun. Adding -et makes it definite: gatehjørnet = “the street corner.” After på, using the definite form signals a specific corner both speaker and listener know.
Could you say på et gatehjørne instead?
Yes. På et gatehjørne means “at a street corner” (any corner). På gatehjørnet (“at the corner”) points to one particular corner.
Why does the verb venter come before the subject en turist?
Because of the V2 rule: with a fronted element (På gatehjørnet), the verb must be second, pushing the subject after it. So you get venter en turist instead of en turist venter.
How do I know that en turist is the subject here?
You can test by asking Hvem venter på gatehjørnet? (“Who is waiting at the corner?”). The answer is en turist, so that’s your subject.
What is the function of som in som trenger hjelp?
Som is the relative pronoun “who/that.” It links en turist to the clause trenger hjelp: “a tourist who needs help.”
Why is there no preposition before hjelp after trenger?
Trenger (“needs”) is a transitive verb taking a direct object. You simply say trenger hjelp (“needs help”) without any preposition.
What tense are venter and trenger, and how do they translate?
Both verbs are in the present tense. Venter = “(is) waiting,” and trenger = “(is) needing” or more naturally “needs.” There’s no separate continuous form as in English.
Could I use må ha hjelp instead of trenger hjelp?
You can, but må ha hjelp means “must have help” (an obligation), whereas trenger hjelp simply states a need. The nuance is that må ha feels stronger or more urgent.