Jeg setter saltet på bordet.

I put the salt on the table.

Breakdown of Jeg setter saltet på bordet.

• jeg: I
• på: on
• bordet: the table
• sette: to put
• saltet: the salt

Questions & Answers about Jeg setter saltet på bordet.

Does "setter" mean "put" or "set," and can this sentence mean "I am putting the salt on the table"?

Both. Norwegian present tense covers both simple and progressive meanings. So "Jeg setter saltet på bordet" can mean either "I put the salt on the table" (habitual) or "I am putting the salt on the table" (right now). If you want to stress an ongoing action, you can add "holder på": "Jeg holder på å sette saltet på bordet," but in most contexts the plain present is enough.

Why is it "saltet" and not just "salt"?

Norwegian marks definiteness with a suffix. salt = "salt"; saltet = "the salt." Here we’re talking about a specific, known salt (usually the salt shaker/cellar). If you say "Jeg setter salt på bordet," it sounds like you’re putting some salt as a substance onto the table surface.

Why does it end in -et (saltet) and not -en (salten)?

Because salt is a neuter noun in Bokmål. Neuter definite singular takes -et; masculine takes -en.

• Indefinite singular: salt
• Definite singular: saltet
• Indefinite plural: salter (used for different kinds of salts)
• Definite plural: saltene "Salten" is not standard for this noun in Bokmål.

Why is it "på bordet" and not "til bordet" or "i bordet"?

• på = on/onto (used for surfaces, both location and movement): "Jeg setter … på bordet."
• i = in/into (used for containers/inside): "Jeg legger boken i skuffen" (into the drawer).
• til = to/towards (movement to a place, not onto a surface): "Jeg går til bordet" (I walk to the table). So with placement onto a surface, Norwegian uses på, not til or i.

Why does "bordet" also end with -et?

Because bord (table) is also a neuter noun.

• et bord = a table
• bordet = the table
• bord = tables
• bordene = the tables

Could I use "legger" instead of "setter" here?

Sometimes. A common rule of thumb:

• legge (put/lay) → the thing ends up lying (flat): "Jeg legger boka/kniven på bordet."
• sette (put/set) → default, especially for things that can stand or when orientation isn’t important; also for placing containers: "Jeg setter glasset/saltet på bordet."
• stille is rarely used in everyday speech for this meaning; it more often means "to adjust/set" (a clock) or "to display" (stille ut). Your sentence with salt (usually a shaker/cellar) is natural with setter. With a flat object (a book), legger is preferred.

What happens if I say "Jeg setter meg på bordet"?

Then you’re talking about yourself: sette seg = sit down (to take a seated position). "Jeg setter meg på bordet" = "I sit down on the table." Without the reflexive pronoun (meg), you’re placing something else.

Is the word order "Jeg setter på bordet saltet" okay?

No. The natural order is subject–verb–object–place: Jeg setter saltet på bordet. You can front the place phrase for emphasis, but then Norwegian uses verb-second (V2) order: På bordet setter jeg saltet. "Jeg setter på bordet saltet" is unidiomatic.

How do I turn it into a yes/no question?

Invert the subject and the verb: Setter du saltet på bordet? (Are you putting the salt on the table?)

Where does "ikke" (not) go?

In main clauses, "ikke" typically comes after the finite verb. With a noun object:

• Jeg setter ikke saltet på bordet. With a pronoun object, the pronoun usually comes before "ikke":
• Jeg setter det ikke på bordet.

How do I pronounce "Jeg setter saltet på bordet"?

Approximate urban/Eastern Norwegian:

• Jeg ≈ "yai"
• setter ≈ "SEH-ter"
• saltet ≈ "SAL-te" (the written -t is often silent in -et endings)
• på ≈ "paw" (like English "paw" but shorter)
• bordet ≈ "BOOR-de" (the -et is often just -e) Pronunciation varies by dialect; many drop the final -t in neuter definite endings.

If I replace "saltet" with a pronoun, do I use "den" or "det"?

It depends on what you’re referring to.

• If you mean the noun salt (neuter): use det. "Sett det på bordet."
• If you mean the salt shaker (e.g., saltbøsse, common gender): use den. "Sett den på bordet." Pronouns agree with the grammatical gender of the noun you have in mind.

How do I add adjectives with "the"—do I need double definiteness?

Yes. Norwegian uses "double definiteness" with adjectives:

• the round table = det runde bordet So: Jeg setter saltet på det runde bordet. ("det" + adjective with -e + noun with definite -et)

What’s the imperative?

The imperative of "å sette" is Sett:

• Sett saltet på bordet! (Put the salt on the table!) Negative: Ikke sett saltet på bordet!

How do I say it in the past or present perfect?

"Å sette" is irregular:

• Present: setter (Jeg setter …)
• Preterite (past): satte (Jeg satte …)
• Past participle: satt
• Present perfect: har satt (Jeg har satt …)

Can I say "på et bord" instead of "på bordet"?

Yes, if you mean "on a table" (not a specific one): Jeg setter saltet på et bord. With a specific, known table, use bordet.

Does "sette" mean "to set the table," like English "set the table"?

No. "To set the table" is å dekke bordet in Norwegian. For example: Jeg dekker bordet nå. Your sentence just means you’re putting the salt on the table.

Is "på" used for both "on" and "onto"?

Yes. Norwegian doesn’t distinguish the way English does. With placement verbs you still use på:

• State: "Saltet står på bordet." (The salt is on the table.)
• Motion: "Jeg setter saltet på bordet." (I put the salt onto the table.)