Jeg drikker te uten å bruke sukker.

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Breakdown of Jeg drikker te uten å bruke sukker.

• drikke: to drink
• å: to
• uten: without

Questions & Answers about Jeg drikker te uten å bruke sukker.

Why is it “uten å bruke” and not just “uten bruke”?

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.