Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg kjøper billetten uansett pris. - I buy the ticket regardless of the price.

In Norwegian, the present tense often covers near-future or planned future actions. Jeg kjøper billetten... can mean “I’m buying/I’ll buy the ticket.” If you want to be explicit:

Intention/plan: Jeg skal kjøpe billetten.
Prediction: Jeg kommer til å kjøpe billetten. The plain present is perfectly natural when the context implies the future.

Why is it billetten (definite) and not en billett (indefinite)?

Billetten means “the ticket,” referring to a specific ticket known from context (e.g., the concert ticket we’ve been discussing). En billett is “a ticket,” non-specific. Choose definite when both speaker and listener know which ticket is meant.

Could I start the sentence with the condition and still be correct?

Yes. If you front the adverbial, keep the verb in second position (V2 rule):

Uansett pris kjøper jeg billetten. This is slightly more emphatic on the condition “regardless of price.”

Do I need a preposition after uansett (like “av”)? Why is it just uansett pris?

No preposition is needed. Uansett works directly with a noun here: uansett pris = “regardless of price.” If you prefer a construction with a preposition, use:

uavhengig av prisen (“independent of the price”)
or a clause: uansett hva prisen er / uansett hva den koster

Can I say uansett prisen (definite) instead of uansett pris?

You’ll most often hear the set expression uansett pris (indefinite). Using a clause is also very natural: uansett hva prisen er or uansett hva den koster. Uansett prisen occurs but is less idiomatic; stick to uansett pris or a clause.

What’s the difference between uansett pris and for enhver pris?

Uansett pris = “regardless of price,” neutral and literal.
For enhver pris = “at any cost,” an idiom that can sound stronger or more dramatic, sometimes implying you’ll do anything to achieve it. Both can fit, but nuance differs:
- Jeg kjøper billetten uansett pris. (Price won’t stop me.)
- Jeg kjøper billetten for enhver pris. (At any cost—more emphatic.)

What’s the difference between uansett pris and just uansett at the end?

Jeg kjøper billetten uansett pris. specifically mentions price as the thing that doesn’t matter.
Jeg kjøper billetten uansett. means “I’ll buy the ticket anyway,” without specifying what’s being disregarded (could be any obstacle).

Is the word order Jeg kjøper uansett billetten okay?

With standalone uansett (“anyway”), you can place it before the object: Jeg kjøper uansett billetten. With the phrase uansett pris, don’t split it and the noun; prefer:

Jeg kjøper billetten uansett pris.
or Uansett pris kjøper jeg billetten. Jeg kjøper uansett pris billetten sounds wrong.

How would I say this more conversationally?

Common, natural options:

Jeg kjøper billetten uansett hva den koster.
Jeg kjøper billetten uansett.
Stronger idiom: Jeg kjøper billetten koste hva det koste vil. (very resolute)

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

Yes:

Jeg skal kjøpe billetten uansett pris. (intention/decision)
Jeg kommer til å kjøpe billetten uansett pris. (prediction/likelihood) All are correct; pick based on nuance.

How does definiteness work with adjectives here?

Norwegian uses double definiteness with adjectives:

Without adjective: billetten = “the ticket.”
With adjective: den dyre billetten = “the expensive ticket.” Example: Jeg kjøper den dyre billetten uansett pris. Note: den billetten (without adjective) usually means “that ticket” (demonstrative).

What are the noun forms for billett and pris?

billett (m.): en billett, billetten, billetter, billettene
pris (m.): en pris, prisen, priser, prisene

How do you pronounce the tricky parts?

Approximate guide (Standard East Norwegian):

Jeg ≈ “yai” (many say “je”)
kjøper ≈ “HYEU-per” (kj is a soft hiss like German “ich”; ø like French “peu”)
billetten ≈ “bil-LET-ten” (stress on -let-)
uansett ≈ “oo-ahn-SET” (stress on -sett) Dialects vary; being close is fine.

Any punctuation or register tips?

No comma is needed in Uansett pris kjøper jeg billetten.
The sentence is neutral in register. For enhver pris can sound a bit more dramatic or rhetorical; uansett hva den koster is very common in speech.

Is there any difference between pris and kostnad here?

Use pris for what you pay for the ticket. Kostnad is “cost/expense” in a broader sense and is less idiomatic in this fixed idea. Prefer uansett pris or uansett hva den koster.