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Dessuten er prisen vår like lav som før.

Dessuten er prisen vår like lav som før.
Besides, our price is as low as before.
FromLesson 28inHardcore Norwegian
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Breakdown of Dessuten er prisen vår like lav som før.

være
to be
før
before
vår
our
prisen
the price
som
as
dessuten
besides
like
as
lav
low

Questions & Answers about Dessuten er prisen vår like lav som før.

What does the word Dessuten do here, and is it natural at the start of a sentence?

Dessuten means “besides/moreover/in addition” and is commonly used to add another point. It’s very natural sentence-initially. Close alternatives:

  • I tillegg = “in addition” (neutral, a bit more formal)
  • Forresten = “by the way” (side note, not a logical argument adder)
  • Også = “also/too,” but it typically sits inside the clause, not as a discourse adverb starting a new point
Why is the verb before the subject (er prisen), even though this isn’t a question?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be in second position. When you front an element like Dessuten, the verb (er) comes next, and the subject (prisen vår) follows:

  • Neutral order (no fronting): Prisen vår er …
  • With fronted adverbial: Dessuten er prisen vår … This is not a question; it’s normal main‑clause word order.
Could I say “Dessuten prisen vår er …” instead?
No. Because of the V2 rule, after Dessuten the verb must come next: Dessuten er prisen vår …
Why is it prisen vår and not vår prisen?

In Bokmål, possessives can go either:

  • After the noun: noun in definite form + possessive (more neutral/colloquial): prisen vår, boka mi
  • Before the noun: possessive + noun in indefinite form (more formal/contrastive): vår pris, min bok

You cannot mix them, so vår prisen is ungrammatical.

So can I also say Vår pris er like lav som før? Any nuance difference?

Yes, Vår pris er like lav som før is correct. Nuance:

  • Prisen vår … (postposed) = neutral, common in speech.
  • Vår pris … (preposed) = a bit more formal or contrastive/emphatic (“our price (as opposed to others’) …”).
Why is the noun definite (prisen) when there’s a possessive?
With a postposed possessive, the noun is in the definite form: prisen vår, boka mi. With a preposed possessive, the noun is indefinite: vår pris, min bok. That’s a core pattern of Norwegian noun‑phrase grammar (related to “double definiteness” in other contexts).
How does the comparison like … som work? And when do I use som vs enn?
  • like + adjective + som = “as … as”: like lav som = “as low as”.
  • mer/mindre + adjective + enn = “more/less … than”: lavere enn = “lower than.”

Use som for equality, enn for comparative difference.

When should I use så … som instead of like … som?

In affirmative equality, like … som is the default: Prisen er like lav som før. In negative comparisons, så … som is the classic choice: Prisen er ikke så lav som før. Note: You will also hear ikke like … som in real life, but many style guides prefer ikke så … som.

Why is it lav and not lave or lavt here?
  • Predicative adjectives agree with the subject:
    • Singular common gender: lav (as in prisen … er lav)
    • Neuter singular: lavt (e.g., huset er lavt)
    • Plural: lave (e.g., prisene er like lave …)

Here, pris(en) is singular common gender, so lav is correct.

What does som før mean? Could I say som tidligere instead?

Som før means “as before/as earlier,” and it’s very idiomatic. Som tidligere also works and is a bit more formal. Other options:

  • fortsatt like lav = “still just as low”
  • på samme nivå som før = “at the same level as before” (more technical)
Is a comma needed after Dessuten?
No. You write Dessuten er prisen vår … without a comma. Norwegian does not insert a comma after a fronted adverbial in normal main clauses.
Is pris masculine or feminine? Could I say prisa vår?
In Bokmål, pris is a common‑gender noun typically treated as masculine: en pris, prisen. You do not use a feminine definite form here, so prisa vår is not standard Bokmål.
How does vår agree with the noun? What about våre and vårt? And is våres okay?
  • vår = singular common gender (e.g., prisen vår)
  • vårt = singular neuter (e.g., huset vårt)
  • våre = plural (e.g., prisene våre)

You’ll hear våres in speech, but it’s less formal and best avoided in careful writing.

How would I turn the sentence into a yes/no question?

Just move the verb to the front (no extra do‑support in Norwegian):

  • Er prisen vår like lav som før?
Any pronunciation pitfalls in this sentence?
  • ø in før is a rounded front vowel (like the French “eu” in “peur”).
  • å in vår is like the vowel in English “awe.”
  • Dessuten has a short, central u sound; think “dess-OO-ten” (but shorter and not like English “oo”).
  • Don’t confuse vår (our/spring) with var (was). Prisen vår = “our price”; Prisen var = “the price was.”

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