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Hun sier selvfølgelig ja hvis du spør høflig.

Hun sier selvfølgelig ja hvis du spør høflig.
She of course says yes if you ask politely.

Breakdown of Hun sier selvfølgelig ja hvis du spør høflig.

du
you
hun
she
hvis
if
si
to say
spørre
to ask
ja
yes
høflig
politely
selvfølgelig
of course
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Questions & Answers about Hun sier selvfølgelig ja hvis du spør høflig.

Why is there no comma before hvis?
  • In Norwegian, you normally do not put a comma before a dependent clause when it follows the main clause: Hun sier selvfølgelig ja hvis du spør høflig.
  • If the hvis-clause comes first, you do put a comma after it: Hvis du spør høflig, sier hun selvfølgelig ja.
  • A comma can be used if the clause is parenthetical or very long, but the default here is no comma.
Why is the present tense used instead of a future form?
  • Norwegian often uses the present tense for general truths and future meaning, especially in conditionals.
  • To emphasize a prediction, you can say Hun kommer til å si ja hvis du spør høflig.
  • Be careful with vil: Hun vil si ja can mean she wants to say yes, not necessarily future.
Where does selvfølgelig go, and can I move it?
  • In a main clause, the finite verb must be second (V2), and sentence adverbs like selvfølgelig usually come right after it: Hun sier selvfølgelig ja.
  • Alternatives with nuance:
    • Fronted emphasis: Selvfølgelig sier hun ja.
    • Afterthought: Hun sier ja, selvfølgelig.
  • Don’t break V2: not Hun selvfølgelig sier ja.
Can I use når instead of hvis?
  • hvis = if (a condition that may or may not happen).
  • når = when (time-based or habitual whenever).
  • Når du spør høflig, sier hun ja means whenever you ask politely, not just if.
What’s the difference between hvis, om, and dersom here?
  • hvis: neutral default for conditions.
  • om: also if/whether; common in speech and with verbs like lure på. Often fine as a conditional too.
  • dersom: more formal/literary. All three can work here with small style differences.
Should it be spørre or be (om) for ask?
  • å spørre (noen) (om noe) = ask a question / ask someone about something.
  • å be (noen) om (noe / å gjøre noe) = request, ask for something.
  • Your sentence fits spørre (asking a question). For a request: Hun sier ja hvis du ber henne høflig om å hjelpe.
  • Useful forms: å be – ber – ba – har bedt.
Why is the present form spør, not spører?
  • å spørre is irregular. Key forms:
    • Infinitive: å spørre
    • Present: spør (not spører; not spørr)
    • Preterite: spurte
    • Past participle: har spurt
    • Imperative: spør!
Where would negation (ikke) go?
  • Main clause (V2): Hun sier ikke ja ... (finite verb second, then ikke).
  • Subordinate hvis-clause: subject + adverb + verb: hvis du ikke spør høflig.
Is høflig the correct adverb form? Why not høfligt?
  • Yes. Adjectives ending in -ig/-lig usually keep the same form as adverbs: høflig, vanlig, viktig. No -t is added.
  • Alternatives: pent (nicely; informal) or på en høflig måte.
  • Nynorsk: høfleg.
Do I need to include henne after spør?
  • Not necessary when it’s clear who you’re asking: ... hvis du spør høflig is fine.
  • You can add it for clarity: ... hvis du spør henne høflig.
  • Pattern: spørre noen om noe (ask someone about something).
Can I use jo instead of ja?
  • ja is the word she says (yes).
  • jo contradicts a negative assumption or works as a modal particle (as you know/in fact).
    • Hun sier jo ja hvis du spør høflig uses jo as a particle; it does not replace ja.
  • ja da can sound resigned or dismissive; different tone.
Is there a polite De pronoun instead of du?
  • Modern Norwegian virtually always uses du. De/Dem is rare and can feel stiff or old-fashioned.
  • Politeness comes from phrasing and tone: Kunne du vært så snill å …?, Vennligst …, Vær så snill å ….
Why isn’t there at after sier?
  • You’re not reporting a clause; you’re stating what she says: Hun sier ja.
  • Reported speech takes at: Hun sier at hun kommer.
  • Hun svarer ja is also fine and very natural.
Any pronunciation tips for tricky parts?
  • ø (in spør, høflig): like the vowel in British English bird, but with rounded lips.
  • hun: front rounded u-sound.
  • sier: two syllables, roughly see-er.
  • selvfølgelig: stress toward the middle; a common pattern is sel-FØL-ge-li (hard g).
Are there common alternatives or dialectal variants?
  • Synonyms for selvfølgelig: selvsagt, klart.
  • Conditional linkers: hvis, om, dersom.
  • Nynorsk/dialectal flavor: Ho seier sjølvsagt ja om du spør høfleg.
Can I write Hun sier ja selvfølgelig without a comma?
  • In careful writing, treat sentence-final selvfølgelig as an aside and add a comma: Hun sier ja, selvfølgelig.
  • Without a comma is common in speech but looks less tidy in formal text.