Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Vi opplever ofte kø i byen, men i dag var det rolig. - We often experience a queue in the city, but today it was calm.

The first clause states a general habit (we often experience this), so present tense fits: Vi opplever ofte.... The second clause reports what happened today, so past tense works: ... i dag var det rolig. If the situation is still true at speaking time, you could say ... men i dag er det rolig, or for “earlier today (up to now)”: ... i dag har det vært rolig.

Where should the adverb ofte go? Can I say Vi ofte opplever?

Put ofte after the finite verb in a main clause because of the V2 rule: Vi opplever ofte kø... (not Vi ofte opplever). If you front the adverb for emphasis, keep the verb second: Ofte opplever vi kø i byen.

What does kø mean here—“queue” or “traffic jam”?

In this context it means “traffic jam/slow traffic.” It can also mean a line of people. Common collocations:

å stå i kø (to be stuck in a queue/traffic)
mye kø (a lot of traffic jam)
kø på motorveien (a jam on the highway) For traffic, Norwegians often treat kø like a mass noun: Det var mye kø.

Why is it i byen (definite) instead of i en by?

I byen = “in the city/in town” (the known or local city). I en by = “in a city” (unspecified). Declension of by:

en by (a city)
byen (the city)
byer (cities)
byene (the cities)

Is idag correct spelling?

In standard Bokmål, write i dag (two words). Likewise i morgen, i går. Many people type idag informally, but it’s nonstandard.

Why is there a comma before men?

Because men (“but”) connects two independent clauses here. In Norwegian you place a comma before men when it links full clauses: ..., men ....

Why is it I dag var det rolig and not I dag det var rolig?

Norwegian main clauses obey V2 (the verb is in second position). When I dag is fronted, the verb comes next: I dag var det rolig. You can also keep neutral order: Det var rolig i dag.

What is the function of det in var det rolig?

It’s a dummy subject (expletive), like English “it” in “it was calm.” It doesn’t refer to anything specific; it just fills the subject slot. The adjective rolig is in predicative position; adjectives ending in -ig don’t take the neuter -t anyway (compare et rolig barn).

Could I use stille instead of rolig? What’s the nuance?

rolig = calm/quiet in terms of activity or intensity; very natural for traffic.
stille = quiet/silent (focus on sound).
fredelig = peaceful (atmosphere). For traffic, rolig trafikk, lite trafikk, or det var rolig are idiomatic.

Is Vi opplever ofte kø... idiomatic, or is Det er ofte kø... better?

Both are fine. Vi opplever... emphasizes your perspective (“we often experience”), while Det er ofte kø i byen makes a neutral statement about the city. You can also say Vi opplever ofte at det er kø i byen.

How do you make the plural of kø?

Singular: en kø
Definite singular: køen
Plural: køer
Definite plural: køene For traffic, speakers usually prefer mass phrasing: mye kø rather than mange køer.

Any pronunciation tips for ø (in kø) and y (in byen)?

ø: a rounded front vowel; think the vowel in English “sir,” but round your lips: kø.
y: a rounded “ee”; say “bee” while rounding your lips: by- in byen.
Double consonants (e.g., pp in opplever) mean the preceding vowel is short.
In many dialects, the final g in dag is weak or silent.

What gender is by, and how does that show up?

By is masculine in Bokmål. That’s why the definite form is byen (with -en). Full paradigm: en by – byen – byer – byene.

What’s the difference between ofte and vanligvis?

ofte = often/frequently (no claim about “most of the time”).
vanligvis = usually/as a rule (most of the time). So you might contrast: Det er ofte kø, but Vanligvis er det rolig på søndager.

Why not på byen instead of i byen?

På byen in colloquial speech often means “out on the town” (going out drinking/partying). For location within the city, use i byen (“in town/in the city”).

What are the main forms of the verb oppleve?

Infinitive: å oppleve
Present: opplever (same for all persons: jeg/vi opplever)
Preterite (past): opplevde
Past participle: opplevd (e.g., Vi har opplevd kø før) You could say: Vi har ofte opplevd kø i byen.