Breakdown of Vi når stasjonen før toget går.
vi
we
gå
to go
stasjonen
the station
toget
the train
før
before
nå
to reach
Questions & Answers about Vi når stasjonen før toget går.
In this sentence, does når mean when or reach?
Here når is the verb å nå (to reach). It’s the present tense: Vi når stasjonen = We reach the station. If når meant when, it would introduce a clause like Når toget går, ... (When the train leaves, ...).
Why is there no preposition before stasjonen? Should it be til or på?
The verb å nå takes a direct object, not a prepositional phrase. So you say nå noe (reach something): når stasjonen. If you use other verbs, you will use prepositions:
- komme til stasjonen (arrive at the station)
- være på stasjonen (be at the station)
Is Vi når stasjonen idiomatic, or would Norwegians say something else?
It’s correct and understandable, but in everyday speech many would prefer:
- Vi kommer til stasjonen før toget går. (neutral)
- Vi rekker toget. (We’ll make/catch the train — focuses on being in time) Å nå sounds a bit more formal or written when used about physically reaching a place.
Why does går mean “leaves” here? Isn’t å gå “to walk/go”?
For public transport, å gå commonly means “to depart/leave”: Toget går klokka fire. Alternatives:
- Toget drar (also “leaves”)
- Toget avgår (formal/official: “departs”)
- Toget forlater stasjonen (formal: “leaves the station”)
Why is the present tense used for a future event (går)?
Norwegian uses the present tense for scheduled or certain future events, especially with a time clause: før toget går. Using vil is uncommon here; skal or kommer til å can express intentions/predictions, but with timetables present is the norm.
Why is it før toget går and not før går toget?
After a subordinating conjunction like før, Norwegian uses normal (non-V2) word order in the clause: Subject + Verb. So it’s før toget går, not før går toget.
What happens if I put the før-clause first?
Then you add a comma and keep V2 in the main clause:
- Før toget går, når vi stasjonen.
Where does negation go? How would I say we won’t make it in time?
- Main clause negation: Vi når ikke stasjonen før toget går. (We don’t reach the station before the train leaves = we’re too late.)
- In a subordinate clause, ikke comes before the verb: … før toget ikke går is grammatically possible but odd in meaning (“before the train doesn’t run”). Usually you’d rephrase: … før toget slutter å gå (before the train stops running).
Why stasjonen but toget? What’s going on with the endings?
Definiteness and gender:
- stasjon (common gender): en stasjon → stasjonen (the station); plural: stasjoner → stasjonene
- tog (neuter): et tog → toget (the train); plural: tog → togene
How do you conjugate å nå and å gå?
- å nå (reach): present når, preterite nådde, past participle nådd
- å gå (go/leave): present går, preterite gikk, past participle gått
Could I use før as a preposition with a time instead of a clause?
Yes. Før can be a subordinating conjunction (as in the sentence) or a preposition with a time expression:
- før toget går (before the train leaves) — conjunction + clause
- før klokka fire (before four o’clock) — preposition + noun phrase
Do I need a comma before før here?
No comma is needed when the main clause comes first: Vi når stasjonen før toget går. If the før-clause comes first, put a comma after it: Før toget går, når vi stasjonen.
What’s the difference between før and først?
- før = before (time/sequence)
- først = first (order/priority): Vi kommer først til stasjonen (We arrive at the station first).
Any pronunciation tips for tricky letters here?
- å in når is like the vowel in English “law” (long, rounded).
- ø in før is like German ö or the vowel in British “fur” (but rounded).
- sj in stasjonen is a “sh”-type sound.
- toget has a long o sound; the g is hard (like in “go”).
Can I say går av about the train?
No. gå av means “to get off” (what people do). For a train leaving, use går, drar, or avgår:
- Toget går/drar/avgår klokka fire.
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