Ikke bare jeg, men også Anna er ansvarlig for maten.

Not only I, but also Anna is responsible for the food.

Breakdown of Ikke bare jeg, men også Anna er ansvarlig for maten.

• jeg: I
• være: to be
• Anna: Anna
• maten: the food

Questions & Answers about Ikke bare jeg, men også Anna er ansvarlig for maten.

Why is jeg (and not meg) used here?

Because it’s part of the subject. Standard Norwegian uses the subject form jeg in subject position. You’ll hear colloquial meg og Anna as a subject in speech, but in writing and careful speech use jeg (og Anna).

Does the verb have to come after that long initial phrase? What about the V2 rule?

Yes. Norwegian main clauses are V2: the finite verb comes in second position. The whole focus phrase Ikke bare jeg, men også Anna occupies the first position, so the verb er comes next: Ikke bare jeg, men også Anna er …

Should it be plural ansvarlige instead of singular ansvarlig?

Safest in writing: use the plural predicate with two subjects — er ansvarlige. With the correlative ikke bare …, men også …, many speakers also accept singular agreement with the nearest element, so er ansvarlig is heard and often written. If you want a rock‑solid choice, use the plural:

• Ikke bare jeg, men også Anna er ansvarlige for maten. Note: With både … og …, plural is required: Både jeg og Anna er ansvarlige.

Does er change with person or number?