Breakdown of Vi kan miste flyet hvis vi ikke skynder oss.
vi
we
kunne
can
hvis
if
ikke
not
miste
to miss
flyet
the plane
skynde seg
to hurry
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Questions & Answers about Vi kan miste flyet hvis vi ikke skynder oss.
What does the modal verb kan express here?
Possibility. It’s best read as “might/could”: “We might/could miss the plane if we don’t hurry.” It doesn’t express ability in this context.
Why is it miste and not mister?
After a modal verb (like kan, må, skal, vil, bør), Norwegian uses the bare infinitive without å: kan miste, må gå, skal reise.
Is miste the natural verb for “miss the plane”?
Yes. Å miste flyet is standard for failing to catch your flight. You’ll also hear the very common alternative ikke rekke flyet (“not make the plane”).
Could I say gå glipp av flyet?
It’s understandable but not idiomatic for transport. Gå glipp av = “miss out on” events/opportunities (a concert, a chance). For flights/trains/buses, use miste (flyet) or ikke rekke (flyet).
Why is it flyet and not just fly?
Norwegian marks definiteness with a suffix:
- et fly = a plane (neuter)
- flyet = the plane (a specific flight) Here you mean your particular flight, so the definite form flyet is used.
Why does ikke come before skynder in hvis vi ikke skynder oss?
In subordinate clauses (introduced by words like hvis, fordi, som), the usual order is Subject + Adverb/Negation + Verb: vi (subject) ikke (negation) skynder (verb) oss (reflexive). In a main clause you’d say: Vi skynder oss ikke.
Can I put the hvis-clause first?
Yes: Hvis vi ikke skynder oss, kan vi miste flyet. When you front a subordinate clause, add a comma and keep verb-second in the following main clause: kan vi miste flyet.
What’s the difference between hvis and om?
Both can mean “if.” Hvis is the default for conditions. Om is also used for “if/whether” in indirect yes/no questions, and many speakers use om for conditions in casual speech: Om vi ikke skynder oss, … More formal writing often prefers hvis (or dersom).
What does å skynde seg mean, and why oss?
Å skynde seg = “to hurry (oneself)”, and it’s reflexive. The pronoun matches the subject:
- jeg skynder meg
- du skynder deg
- han/hun/det skynder seg
- vi skynder oss
- dere skynder dere
- de skynder seg
Where do I place the reflexive pronoun and ikke?
- Main clause: Vi skynder oss ikke. (Verb–reflexive–negation)
- Subordinate clause: … hvis vi ikke skynder oss. (Subject–negation–verb–reflexive)
Where would ikke go if I negated the main clause instead?
After the finite verb in second position: Vi kan ikke miste flyet … Note that this literally means “we cannot miss the plane” (impossible). For “we mustn’t,” use må: Vi må ikke miste flyet.
How can I make the risk/likelihood stronger or clearer than kan?
- Vi risikerer å miste flyet = “We risk missing the plane.”
- Vi kommer til å miste flyet = prediction/very likely: “We’re going to end up missing the plane.”
- Vi kan komme til å miste flyet = “We might end up missing the plane.”
Why is there no comma before hvis here?
Norwegian doesn’t put a comma before a subordinate clause when it follows the main clause. You do use a comma after it if the subordinate clause comes first: Hvis vi ikke skynder oss, kan vi miste flyet.
How do I pronounce tricky bits like skynde and flyet?
- sk before front vowels (i, y, e, ø, æ) is pronounced like English “sh” in most accents, so skynde ≈ “SHIN-de”.
- y is a front rounded vowel; say English “ee” with rounded lips.
- flyet ≈ “FLY-uh” (with that rounded y); the final -et is a light, schwa-like ending.