Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Å snakke foran mange er utfordrende for henne. - Speaking in front of many is challenging for her.

It is the infinitive marker. It puts the verb in its base form and can turn a verb phrase into a subject-like clause (the activity of doing something). Hence å snakke is “to speak/talk” or “speaking.”

Why is it snakke and not snakker after å?

After å, the verb must be in the bare infinitive: å snakke. The form snakker is a finite present-tense form used as the main verb in a clause, e.g., Hun snakker godt, but Hun liker å snakke.

Is the whole Å snakke foran mange really the subject?

Yes. The infinitive clause Å snakke foran mange functions as the subject of the sentence. Norwegian often uses an å + infinitive clause as a subject, just like English uses “To…/…ing” clauses.

How does the verb-second (V2) rule work here?

Norwegian main clauses place the finite verb second. Here, the first position is occupied by the entire subject clause Å snakke foran mange, and the finite verb er is in second position: [Å snakke foran mange] [er] [utfordrende for henne].

Do I need a comma after Å snakke foran mange?

No. Norwegian does not place a comma between a subject (even a long clausal one) and the verb. So no comma after Å snakke foran mange.

Why is it henne and not hun?

Because for is a preposition, and prepositions take the object (accusative) form of pronouns. Hun is the subject form; henne is the object form. Compare: Hun synes det er vanskelig. / Det er vanskelig for henne.

Why for henne and not til henne?

With evaluations like “easy/difficult/important for someone,” Norwegian uses for: Det er utfordrende for henne. Til henne typically indicates motion or a recipient (e.g., Gi boka til henne) and is not used in this construction.

What exactly does foran mange mean? How is it different from similar phrases?

foran mange = in front of many (physically in front of an audience), the public-speaking idea.
til mange = to many (addressing many people).
med mange = with many (together with many people).
for mange can mean “for many (on behalf of many)” or, more commonly, “too many” in other contexts.
overfor = opposite/facing or “toward” in a relational sense, not used here.
framfor can mean “rather than” and also “in front of” in some varieties, but foran is the neutral choice for physical in-front-of.

Does mange need a noun after it? And why not mye?

mange can stand alone as a pronoun meaning “many (people).” You can add a noun for clarity: mange mennesker / mye folk (colloquial: mange folk).
Use mange with countables (people, chairs), and mye with uncountables (time, water). So here mange is right.

Is å the same as og? They sound similar when spoken.

No. å is the infinitive marker; og means “and.” In casual speech og often reduces to a sound similar to å, but in writing you must keep them distinct. Here only å is correct.

Is there a more natural way to say this with det?

Yes, two very common alternatives:

Det er utfordrende for henne å snakke foran mange. (Expletive det; the infinitive clause is postponed.)
Det å snakke foran mange er utfordrende for henne. (Det å nominalizes and emphasizes the activity.) All three versions are grammatical; the first one with expletive det is especially common in everyday writing.

What kind of word is utfordrende, and does it agree with anything?

It’s an adjective formed from a present participle (-ende). It’s indeclinable, so it doesn’t change for gender or number, whether predicative or attributive: en utfordrende oppgave, et utfordrende tema, to utfordrende oppgaver. Comparative/superlative are periphrastic: mer utfordrende, mest utfordrende.

Could I use blir instead of er?

You can, but it changes the nuance. er states a general fact: it is challenging (as a general truth). blir emphasizes becoming: it turns/gets challenging, often implying development over time: Å snakke foran mange blir fort utfordrende for henne.

Can I replace snakke with tale or prate?

snakke is neutral and the default.
tale is more formal or implies a speech/lecture.
prate is informal, “to chat.” So Å tale foran mange suggests a formal speech; Å prate foran mange may sound overly casual in a public-speaking context.

Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?

å in å snakke is a rounded vowel (similar to the vowel in many accents’ “law”), short and unstressed here.
In fast speech, og can sound like å, but keep them distinct in writing.
Primary stress typically falls on the first syllable of content words: SNAC-ke, FOran, MAN-ge, UT-for-dren-de, HEN-ne.