Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Forresten kommer jeg litt sent. - By the way, I will be a little late.

Norwegian main clauses obey the V2 rule: the finite verb must be in the second position. When you front an element like Forresten (by the way), it occupies position 1, so the verb (kommer) must come next, and the subject (jeg) follows: Forresten kommer jeg …. This word order does not make it a question; punctuation and intonation show it’s a statement.

Can I also say Forresten, jeg kommer litt sent?

Yes. With a comma, forresten is a parenthetical “by the way,” so the main clause keeps normal word order: jeg kommer. Both are fine:

Integrated (V2): Forresten kommer jeg litt sent.
Parenthetical: Forresten, jeg kommer litt sent. What you should avoid is mixing them: Forresten jeg kommer litt sent (no comma, no inversion) is incorrect in standard Norwegian.

Do I need a comma after Forresten?

No, not if forresten is integrated into the clause: Forresten kommer jeg … (no comma). Use a comma only if it’s a parenthetical aside: Forresten, jeg kommer ….

What exactly does forresten mean, and how formal is it?

It’s a discourse marker meaning “by the way/incidentally,” used to add an afterthought or secondary point. Register: neutral to informal—perfect in speech, chats, and most emails. For something more formal, use for øvrig (incidentally). Note that dessuten means “in addition/besides” (adds a supporting argument), not the same as “by the way.”

Where else can I place forresten?

Sentence-initial (integrated, V2): Forresten kommer jeg litt sent.
Mid-sentence: Jeg kommer forresten litt sent.
Sentence-final: Jeg kommer litt sent, forresten.
Parenthetical with commas: Jeg kommer, forresten, litt sent. All are idiomatic; choose by flow/emphasis.

Why is present tense (kommer) used for the future?

Norwegian uses the present for near-future or scheduled/expected events when the time is clear from context: Jeg kommer litt sent = I’ll be a bit late (when arriving). It’s the most natural choice in this context.

Is there a difference between jeg kommer litt sent, jeg blir litt sen, and jeg blir litt forsinket?

Jeg kommer litt sent: specifically about arriving late.
Jeg blir litt sen: I’ll be late (as a state/outcome), not tied strictly to the act of arriving.
Jeg blir litt forsinket: I’ll be delayed; slightly more formal/neutral. All three are common to inform someone you won’t be on time.

What’s the difference between sent/sen and seint/sein?

They’re alternative forms. In Bokmål, sen/sent and sein/seint are both allowed; sen/sent is more common in standard Bokmål, while sein/seint often reflects dialectal preference and aligns with Nynorsk (which uses sein/seint). Pick one style and be consistent.

What’s the difference between litt sent and for sent?

litt sent = a bit late (somewhat later than planned, but not necessarily too late).
for sent = too late (you’ve missed the deadline/event).
Example: Jeg kom for sent til bussen (I missed the bus).

Where does ikke go if I need to negate?

After the subject (and after the finite verb if something is fronted). Examples:

Jeg kommer ikke i dag.
Forresten kommer jeg ikke før klokka seks.

If I add time or place, where do they go?

Most naturally at the end: Jeg kommer litt sent i dag / til møtet.
You can front them for emphasis: I dag kommer jeg litt sent.

Could I use skal, vil, or kommer til å instead of the present?

Jeg skal komme litt sent: grammatically fine but can sound odd (as if you intend to be late). Prefer Jeg blir litt sen or Jeg kommer litt senere.
Jeg vil komme litt sent: seldom used for prediction; it can imply willingness. Avoid here.
Jeg kommer til å bli litt sen/forsinket: good for a prediction (“I’m likely to be late/delayed”).

How can I soften it or sound more polite?

Add hedges or an apology:

Beklager, forresten, jeg blir nok litt sen.
Forresten, jeg blir dessverre litt forsinket.
Forresten, jeg kommer kanskje litt sent.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

forresten: stress the second syllable (for-RES-ten).
kommer: stress the first syllable (KOM-mer).
sent often has a long e in many dialects; seint uses the diphthong ei. Don’t worry about fine distinctions—focus on syllable stress and rhythm.

Is there a difference between forresten and for resten?

Both exist. Forresten (one word) is the standard form for the discourse marker “by the way” and is the safest choice. For resten (two words) also occurs, sometimes with a more literal “as for the rest/otherwise” feel, but it can overlap in meaning. Use forresten in most cases.