Jeg prøver å endre en vane hver måned.

I try to change a habit every month.

Breakdown of Jeg prøver å endre en vane hver måned.

• jeg: I
• en: a
• å: to
• hver: every
• prøve: to try
• endre: to change
• måneden: the month
• vanen: the habit

Questions & Answers about Jeg prøver å endre en vane hver måned.

What does the little word å do here?

Å is the infinitive marker, similar to English “to” in “to change.” It must be used before an infinitive verb like endre when the main verb is not a modal (e.g., not kan, må, vil, skal). So: prøver å endre is correct.

What’s the difference between å and og?

• å = “to” (before an infinitive): å endre
• og = “and” (joins words or phrases): endre og forbedre Common mistake to avoid: don’t write prøver og endre. It must be prøver å endre. If you join two infinitives, you usually keep å only once: å lese og skrive.

Why is it prøver and not prøve?

Prøver is the present tense (I try/am trying). Norwegian present tense is formed by adding -r to the infinitive: prøve → prøver. The infinitive appears after å: å endre.

Can I drop the article and say …endre vane?

No. Vane is a countable noun, so in the singular you normally need the article: en/ei vane. Plural would be vaner. So here you need en vane.

Is vane masculine or feminine, and what are its forms?

In Bokmål, vane can be treated as feminine or masculine:

• Masculine: en vane, vanen, vaner, vanene
• Feminine: ei vane, vana, vaner, vanene Most learners stick with the masculine set (en vane), which is perfectly fine.

Why is it hver måned and not hver måneden?

With hver (“each/every”), the noun stays in the indefinite form: hver måned. Using the definite form (måneden) would be ungrammatical here.

When do I use hver vs hvert?

• hver with masculine/feminine nouns: hver måned, hver bok
• hvert with neuter nouns: hvert år, hvert barn

Can I move hver måned to the front?

Yes. Norwegian is a V2 language, so if you front the time expression, the finite verb comes second and the subject follows it:

• Hver måned prøver jeg å endre en vane. All three are fine:
• Jeg prøver å endre en vane hver måned. (neutral)
• Hver måned prøver jeg å endre en vane. (emphasis on time)
• Jeg prøver hver måned å endre en vane. (also acceptable)

Where does ikke go if I want to negate it?

• “I’m not trying to change…”: Jeg prøver ikke å endre …
• “I’m trying not to change …”: Jeg prøver å ikke endre … Position of ikke changes the meaning.

Is endre the only verb I can use? What about forandre or bytte?

• endre and forandre are near-synonyms and both work: å endre/forandre en vane.
• endre på can mean “tweak/change somewhat”: endre på en vane.
• bytte means “swap/exchange.” For habits, use bytte ut en vane (med en annen) if you mean replacing one habit with another. Don’t use plain bytte en vane without context.

Is prøve the only “try” verb? What about forsøke?

Forsøke means “to attempt/try” and is a bit more formal or written. Both are fine:

• Jeg prøver å endre …
• Jeg forsøker å endre …

Does hver måned equal “per month” or “once a month”?

• hver måned = “every month/each month” (general frequency)
• en gang i måneden = “once a month”
• per måned / i måneden often describes rates: 500 kroner i måneden (“per month”)

How do I emphasize “one” habit per month?

Use the accented numeral én to make it unambiguously “one” (not just the article):
Jeg prøver å endre én vane hver måned.

Any quick pronunciation tips for the tricky vowels?

• prøver: ø is like the vowel in British “nurse” or French “eux.”
• å (in å endre, måned) is a long “o” sound, like “more.”
• hver: the h is silent in most accents; sounds like “vær” [vɛːr].
• måned: two syllables; the final d is weak or silent in many dialects.

Is it okay to write mnd. for måned?

Yes, mnd. is a common abbreviation in schedules, notes, and billing: hver mnd. = “every month.”