Barna nekter å sove.

The children refuse to sleep.

Breakdown of Barna nekter å sove.

• å: to
• barnet: the child
• sove: to sleep
• nekte: to refuse

Questions & Answers about Barna nekter å sove.

What does barna mean, and why the -a ending?

Barna means the children. The noun barn (child/children) is neuter and has:

• Indefinite singular: et barn
• Definite singular: barnet
• Indefinite plural: barn
• Definite plural: barna (also barnene in Bokmål; see below)

The ending -a is a common definite plural ending in Bokmål (and the standard one in Nynorsk) for many neuter nouns like barn.

Is barnene also correct, and is there any difference from barna?

In Bokmål, both barna and barnene are correct as the definite plural of barn. There’s no difference in meaning. Style-wise:

• barna is by far the most common in everyday Bokmål and is the only form in Nynorsk.
• barnene is also accepted in Bokmål and can sound a bit more formal/explicit in some contexts.

What tense is nekter, and how is the verb nekte conjugated?

Nekter is present tense of å nekte (to refuse). Conjugation (Bokmål):

• Infinitive: å nekte
• Present: nekter
• Preterite (past): nektet (also nekta)
• Past participle: nektet (also nekta)
• Perfect: har nektet

What nuance does nekter å carry compared with “don’t want to” or “won’t”?

Nekter å is strong and often implies active defiance: they refuse. Softer or different options:

• vil ikke sove = don’t want to sleep
• skal ikke sove = won’t/shall not sleep (decision/plan or insistence)
• kan ikke sove = can’t sleep (inability)
• har ikke lyst til å sove = don’t feel like sleeping

So Barna nekter å sove suggests pushback or resistance, stronger than vil ikke.

Why is there å before sove? Is it the same as og?

Å is the infinitive marker (“to” in English) before a verb: å sove = to sleep. Og means “and.” After nekter, you must use å + infinitive, not og.

Note: Modal verbs (e.g., vil, kan, skal, må, bør, får, tør) take an infinitive without å: Barna vil sove.

Can I drop å and just say Barna nekter sove?

No. Nekter is not a modal verb, so it requires å before the following verb: Barna nekter å sove is correct.

How is sove conjugated?

• Infinitive: å sove
• Present: sover
• Preterite (past): sov
• Past participle: sovet
• Perfect: har sovet

What about word order—why is nekter in second position?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb is in second position. In Barna nekter å sove, the subject Barna is first, and the verb nekter is second. If you front something else, the verb stays second:

• I kveld nekter barna å sove.
• Nå nekter barna å sove.

Where do adverbs go? How would I say “still refuse to”?

Most adverbs go after the finite verb. So:

• Barna nekter fortsatt å sove.
• Barna nekter fremdeles å sove.
• Barna nekter fortsatt/enda å sove.

Does nekter also mean “deny,” and could that be confusing?

Yes, å nekte can also mean “to deny,” but the pattern differs:

• Refuse + infinitive: Hun nekter å sove.
• Deny + clause: common is Hun nekter for at hun var der (many prefer the clearer Hun benekter at hun var der). To avoid ambiguity, use å benekte for “deny.”

Pronunciation tips for Barna nekter å sove?

Approximate, East Norwegian:

• Barna: BAHR-nah. The rn often merges into a retroflex n sound.
• nekter: NEK-ter (short, crisp k, stress on the first syllable).
• å: like the vowel in English “law”/“o” (long).
• sove: SOH-veh; the Norwegian v is a soft v/w-like sound.

How would it change for one child, or if I use pronouns?

• One child: Barnet nekter å sove. (the child refuses to sleep)
• Pronouns: De nekter å sove (they refuse to sleep), Han/Hun nekter å sove (he/she refuses to sleep).

Is there a more idiomatic way to talk about going to bed rather than sleeping?

Yes. Use å legge seg (to go to bed):

• Barna nekter å legge seg. = The children refuse to go to bed. This is very natural in contexts with kids’ bedtime routines.

Does this sentence describe right now or a habit?

The Norwegian present can be both present progressive and habitual. Barna nekter å sove can mean either “are refusing (right now)” or “(often) refuse,” depending on context. You can clarify with adverbs:

• Habit: Barna nekter alltid å sove.
• Right now: Nå nekter barna å sove.