Breakdown of Jeg finner stikkontakten bak sofaen og lader datamaskinen mens jeg hører på musikk.
jeg
I
og
and
musikken
the music
høre på
to listen to
Questions & Answers about Jeg finner stikkontakten bak sofaen og lader datamaskinen mens jeg hører på musikk.
What does the word stikkontakten mean, and why is it in the definite form?
It means “the power outlet” or “the wall socket.” Norwegian uses the definite form when referring to a specific, identifiable thing. Here, it’s the particular outlet behind the sofa. If you just found any outlet, you could say: Jeg finner en stikkontakt bak sofaen (“I find an outlet behind the sofa”).
Why is it bak sofaen (“behind the sofa”) and not bak en sofa?
Bak sofaen implies a specific sofa that both speaker and listener can identify (e.g., the one in the room). Bak en sofa would mean “behind a sofa” (any sofa, not a particular one), which is less likely in this context.
Should there be a comma before mens?
Both versions occur: ..., mens jeg hører på musikk and ... mens jeg hører på musikk. Norwegian has two comma styles; one puts a comma before subordinate clauses (like the mens-clause), the other often omits it in cases like this. Be consistent within a text. If you move the mens-clause to the front, you must add a comma after it: Mens jeg hører på musikk, finner jeg ....
Why is it mens jeg hører, not mens hører jeg?