Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg drikker te uten å bruke sukker.

In Norwegian, uten å + infinitive means “without -ing.” You must include å (the infinitive marker) before the verb: uten å bruke = “without using.” Other common patterns are:

for å + infinitive = “in order to”
ved å + infinitive = “by (doing)”
etter å ha + past participle = “after having (done)” So your sentence uses the standard pattern: uten å + infinitive.

Can I just say “Jeg drikker te uten sukker”? What’s the difference?

Yes. Jeg drikker te uten sukker is shorter and very idiomatic.

uten sukker focuses on the tea being unsweetened.
uten å bruke sukker highlights the action of not using sugar (a bit more process-oriented).
Both are correct; for everyday speech, uten sukker is more common.

Is “å bruke sukker” natural here, or is there a better verb?

It’s understandable and acceptable, but many speakers would say:

Jeg drikker te uten sukker.
Jeg har ikke sukker i teen.
Jeg tar ikke sukker i teen. You may also hear: Jeg søter ikke teen (“I don’t sweeten the tea”), though that’s less common in casual talk.

Why is it “å” and not “og” after “uten”?

å = “to” (infinitive marker)
og = “and” (coordinating conjunction)
After uten, when a verb follows, you need å: uten å bruke (“without using”), not uten og bruke.

What does the present tense “drikker” mean here—“drink” or “am drinking”?

Both are possible. Norwegian present can be:

Habitual: Jeg drikker te = “I drink tea (regularly).”
Ongoing: Jeg drikker te nå = “I am drinking tea now.”
To make a progressive feel clearer, you can also say Jeg holder på å drikke te or Jeg sitter og drikker te.

Where can I put the “uten å …” phrase in the sentence?

The neutral place is after the object: Jeg drikker te uten å bruke sukker.
You can front it for emphasis: Uten å bruke sukker drikker jeg te.
Avoid splitting the noun and its modifier like this: ✗ Jeg drikker uten å bruke sukker te.

When do I use “uten å” versus “uten at”?

uten å + infinitive is used when the implied subject of the second action is the same as the main subject:
Jeg drikker te uten å bruke sukker. (I … using …)
uten at + clause is used when the subject changes (or when you need a full clause):
Jeg drikker te uten at barna bruker sukker. (“without the kids using sugar”)

Do I need “noe” before “sukker,” like “uten å bruke noe sukker”?

Not required. uten å bruke sukker is fine.
Adding noe (“any/some”) can emphasize the total absence: uten å bruke noe sukker = “without using any sugar at all.”

How do I pronounce the words?

Approximate IPA (East Norwegian):

Jeg [jæi̯]
drikker [ˈdrɪkːər] (double k = longer consonant)
te [teː]
uten [ˈʉːtən] (u is fronted [ʉ], not [u])
å [oː]
bruke [ˈbrʉːkə]
sukker [ˈsʉkːər]
Tip: keep double consonants long, and make the Norwegian u/ʉ rounded and fronted.

Can I drop “te” and just say “Jeg drikker uten å bruke sukker”?

As a full sentence, that sounds odd—“I drink without using sugar (what?).” You normally keep the beverage: Jeg drikker te uten å bruke sukker.
However, as a short answer in context (e.g., at a café):
— Hvordan vil du ha kaffen? — Uten sukker.

What about articles with “te”? When do I say “te,” “en te,” or “teen”?

te (no article) = tea in general or as a mass: Jeg drikker te.
en te = “a tea” (a serving/cup), often in cafés: Jeg vil ha en te.
teen = “the tea” (specific): Jeg drikker teen (“I’m drinking the tea”).

What about “sukker”—does it take an article or plural?

sukker is a neuter mass noun; no plural in everyday use.

General: sukker
Definite (specific batch): sukkeret (“the sugar”)
In your sentence, the bare form is normal: uten å bruke sukker.

How do I negate with “ikke” in related sentences?

General negation: Jeg drikker ikke te.
Your structure already expresses negation with uten, so don’t say uten å ikke bruke (double negation). If you need perfect aspect: uten å ha brukt (noe) sukker = “without having used (any) sugar.”

How do I say it in the past or perfect?

Preterite: Jeg drakk te uten å bruke sukker.
Present perfect: Jeg har drukket te uten å bruke sukker.
Conjugations:
drikke: drikker – drakk – har drukket
bruke: bruker – brukte – har brukt

Is there a Nynorsk version or dialectal differences?

In Nynorsk, uten is utan: Eg drikk te utan å bruke sukker.
Pronunciation and small word choices vary by dialect, but the grammar pattern utan/uten å + infinitive is the same.