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På reisen opplevde hun noe nytt hver dag.

På reisen opplevde hun noe nytt hver dag.
On the trip she experienced something new every day.
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Questions & Answers about På reisen opplevde hun noe nytt hver dag.

Why is it the definite form reisen? Could it be reise instead?

Using the definite form (reisen = “the trip”) signals a specific, known trip. If you want it indefinite, you can say:

  • på en reise = on a trip (unspecified)
  • på reise = traveling/away on a trip (general state, often with være: Hun er på reise = She is traveling) So På reisen implies “on that trip we’re talking about,” not just “traveling in general.”
Why is the verb before the subject: På reisen opplevde hun… and not “På reisen hun opplevde…”?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 (verb-second) rule. Whatever you put first (here: På reisen) is followed by the finite verb (opplevde), and then the subject (hun).

  • Fronted adverbial: På reisen opplevde hun noe nytt hver dag.
  • Neutral word order: Hun opplevde noe nytt hver dag (på reisen).
  • Fronted time phrase: Hver dag opplevde hun noe nytt (på reisen). “På reisen hun opplevde …” breaks V2 and is ungrammatical in a main clause.
Is på the only correct preposition here? What about under or i løpet av?

All can work, with nuances:

  • på reisen = on/during the trip (natural, idiomatic)
  • under reisen = during the trip (a bit more formal/neutral)
  • i løpet av reisen = over the course of the trip (slightly more explicit/wordy) You could also restructure with a clause: Mens hun var på reise, opplevde hun…
How is opplevde formed? What are the principal parts of oppleve?

Conjugation:

  • Infinitive: oppleve
  • Present: opplever
  • Preterite: opplevde
  • Past participle: opplevd Rule of thumb: many verbs whose stem ends in a voiced consonant (like v) take -de in the preterite. Note: opplevet is Danish/archaic; standard Bokmål is opplevde (preterite) and opplevd (past participle).
Could I use present perfect instead of preterite, e.g., har opplevd?

Use preterite (opplevde) for a finished time period (“the trip” is over). Present perfect (har opplevd) suggests relevance to now or an unfinished period. It can work if you make the time frame open/ongoing:

  • Så langt på reisen har hun opplevd noe nytt hver dag. (She’s still on the trip.) If the trip is finished, stick with opplevde.
Why is it hun and not henne?

Hun is the subject (nominative) form; henne is the object form:

  • Hun opplevde noe nytt. (She experienced…)
  • Jeg så henne. (I saw her.) Note: Gender‑neutral hen is also accepted in Bokmål in many contexts.
What exactly is going on in noe nytt?
  • noe = “something/anything” (neuter, invariable)
  • nytt is the neuter singular form of the adjective ny (new). Adjectives agree with neuter after noe, so it must be nytt, not ny or nye. Forms of ny:
  • Masculine/feminine singular indefinite: ny
  • Neuter singular indefinite: nytt
  • Plural and definite singular: nye
How would I say “some new things” instead of “something new”?

Use the plural with noen:

  • Hun opplevde noen nye ting hver dag. Contrast:
  • noe nytt = something new / some new stuff (uncountable feel)
  • noen nye ting = some new things (countable) Also common: Hun opplevde mye nytt = She experienced a lot of new stuff.
Why is it hver dag and not something like hver dagen?

Hver (every/each) takes an indefinite singular noun, so:

  • hver dag (day is masculine)
  • hvert år (year is neuter) There’s no article or definite ending after hver. For emphasis:
  • hver eneste dag = every single day For alternation:
  • annenhver dag = every other day
Can I move hver dag to the start? Does that change the meaning?

Yes, for emphasis/topicalization:

  • Hver dag opplevde hun noe nytt. This highlights the “every day” rhythm. All of these are fine:
  • Hun opplevde noe nytt hver dag. (neutral)
  • Hver dag opplevde hun noe nytt. (emphasis on time) Avoid: Hun opplevde hver dag noe nytt (not common/natural word order).
Should there be a comma after På reisen?

No. In Norwegian, you normally don’t insert a comma after a short fronted adverbial in a main clause. So:

  • På reisen opplevde hun … (no comma) English often uses a comma here, but Norwegian typically does not.
What gender is reise, and why reisen here and not reisa?

In Bokmål, reise can be masculine or feminine:

  • Masculine: en reise – reisen
  • Feminine: ei reise – reisa This sentence uses the masculine definite form reisen. Both genders are acceptable in Bokmål; Nynorsk would prefer the feminine (ei reise – reisa).
Any pronunciation tips for tricky bits?
  • På: long vowel [poː].
  • reisen: ei is a diphthong ([æɪ]/[ɑɪ] depending on dialect); final -en is a light syllable.
  • opplevde: stress on first syllable; the d in -de and opplevd is usually pronounced.
  • hun: like English “hoon” but shorter [hʉn] (dialects vary).
  • noe: often two syllables [ˈnuː.ə] or reduced in casual speech.
  • nytt: short vowel with geminate consonant [nʏtː].
  • hver: the h is silent; pronounce like vær [væːr].
  • dag: long a; g often weak or silent depending on dialect [dɑː(g)].
Could I rephrase with synonyms or slightly different phrasing?

Yes:

  • På reisen erfarte hun noe nytt hver dag. (erfarte = learned/experienced; more formal)
  • På turen opplevde hun noe nytt hver dag. (tur often feels less formal/shorter outings)
  • Hver dag opplevde hun noe nytt på reisen. All keep the same core meaning with small stylistic nuances.