Learn Hardcore Norwegian: På hverdager står hun opp tidligere enn i helgene. - On weekdays she gets up earlier than on the weekends.

Because of verb-second (V2) word order in main clauses: when you front an adverbial like På hverdager, the finite verb (står) must come next, then the subject (hun). Without fronting, you’d say: Hun står opp tidligere enn i helgene.

Why is stå opp split—why “står … opp”?

Stå opp is a verb + particle combination. The particle opp normally comes after the finite verb: står opp. If you add an adverb, it can go either between the verb and particle or after them:

Hun står tidligere opp enn i helgene.
Hun står opp tidligere enn i helgene. Both are natural.

What’s the difference between stå opp and våkne?

Våkne = to wake up (stop sleeping). Stå opp = to get out of bed / get up. You can våkne at 6:30 but stå opp at 7:00.

Why på hverdager but i helgene? Can I say på helgene or i hverdager?

With weekdays and specific days, Norwegian typically uses på: på mandag, på hverdager.
For weekends, the fixed expression is i helgene (“on weekends”). Om helgene is also common. På helgene sounds odd to most speakers.
I hverdager is not idiomatic; use på hverdager.

Why is hverdager indefinite plural but helgene definite plural?

It’s mostly idiomatic:

Generic “weekdays” is expressed with the indefinite plural: på hverdager.
Generic “weekends” is expressed with the definite plural set phrase: i helgene. You’ll also hear i helga (definite singular, dialect/colloquial Bokmål).
Note the difference: i helgen (singular) usually means this past/coming weekend (one weekend), while i helgene means weekends in general.

What’s the difference between hverdag and hver dag?

hverdag (one word) = “weekday; everyday life.” Plural: hverdager.
hver dag (two words) = “every day.” Example: Hun står opp tidlig hver dag.

How does tidligere work here? Can I say mer tidlig?

Tidligere is the comparative of tidlig (“early”):

Positive: tidlig
Comparative: tidligere
Superlative: tidligst Use enn after comparatives: tidligere enn … Don’t say mer tidlig in this meaning. Note: tidligere can also mean “former” before a noun (e.g., tidligere sjef).

What is enn? Any special rules after it?

Enn means “than” (spelled with two n’s). In Bokmål, after enn you may see either subject or object pronouns; everyday speech prefers object forms: Hun er eldre enn meg, more formal … enn jeg. In our sentence, enn i helgene is a prepositional phrase; the rest (“det hun gjør”) is understood and omitted.

Can I move the time phrase later: Hun står opp tidligere på hverdager enn i helgene?

Yes. That word order is fine and sounds natural. Fronting På hverdager just puts extra emphasis on weekdays.

Do I need a comma after På hverdager?

No. Norwegian normally doesn’t use a comma after a short fronted adverbial. A comma would only appear if the fronted element is long/complex.

Can I drop the prepositions and just say Hverdager står hun opp …?

No. As a time adverbial, plural nouns like hverdager/helger normally need a preposition: på hverdager, i/om helgene. Bare Mandager (name of a weekday in plural) can work as a topicalized subject, but for generic “weekdays” use the preposition.

What’s the difference between opp and oppe?

opp indicates motion (“up” to a higher position) and is used with actions like stå opp. oppe indicates state/location (“up, upstairs, up and about”): Hun er oppe klokka sju (“She is up at seven”).

Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?

hv in hverdager is pronounced like a simple v in most dialects.
på has a long vowel.
Double consonants signal a short preceding vowel, so opp has a short o.
In helgene, pronounce all three syllables: roughly “HEL-ge-ne.” The g is pronounced in many accents.
Primary stress falls on content words like hverdager, tidligere, helgene.

Are there synonyms for hverdager?

Yes: ukedager. You can say På ukedager står hun opp … You can also generalize with i uka (“during the week”): I uka står hun opp tidligere.

Why hun and not henne?

Hun is the subject form (“she”). Henne is the object form (“her”): Jeg ser henne. In this sentence, “she” is the subject, so hun is required.