Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Har De en mening om vårt forslag, eller ønsker De et annet valg? - Do you formal have an opinion about our suggestion, or would you formal like another choice?

It’s the formal/polite “you” in Norwegian (especially Bokmål). It’s capitalized to distinguish it from lowercase de = “they.” Related forms: subject De, object Dem, possessive Deres.

Is De still used today? Is it singular or plural?

It’s rare in everyday speech. Most people use du (singular) and dere (plural). Formal De can address one person or several, but in modern use it mainly appears in very formal letters or when addressing elderly people very politely.

How would I say this in normal, modern Norwegian?

Examples:

Hva synes du om forslaget vårt, eller vil du heller ha et annet alternativ?
Har du en mening om forslaget vårt, eller ønsker du et annet alternativ? (Use dere instead of du when talking to more than one person.)

Why does the question start with Har? Do Norwegians use “do” support?

Norwegian forms yes/no questions by inverting verb and subject (Verb–Subject–Object). There is no “do” auxiliary. Statement: “Du har …” → Question: “Har du …?”

Why is there a comma before eller?

It’s optional. Many would write it without the comma: “… forslaget vårt eller ønsker …”. A comma can be added to mark a pause between two full main-clause questions for readability.

Why vårt and not vår?

The possessive agrees with the noun’s gender/number: vår (common gender), vårt (neuter), våre (plural). Since forslag is neuter, it’s vårt forslag.

Can I say forslaget vårt instead of vårt forslag?

Yes, but the nuance changes:

vårt forslag = “our proposal” (indefinite, not singled out as the specific one).
forslaget vårt = “our proposal” (definite, a specific, known proposal).

Why en mening? Is mening countable?

Yes. mening (opinion) is a count noun: “en mening, flere meninger.” You typically need an article. (Set phrase: “Det gir mening” = “It makes sense.”)

Why om after mening? Could I use av or til?

For opinions, use mening om = “opinion about.” meningen av/med changes the meaning to “the meaning/purpose of” (e.g., “meningen med livet”).

Does valg mean “election”? Is it OK here?

Yes, valg (neuter) means both “choice” and “election.” It works here as “choice,” but many would prefer alternativ for “option”: “ønsker du et annet alternativ?”

What’s the difference between ønsker and vil?

ønsker = “wish/would like” (polite/formal); can take a noun directly: “ønsker et glass vann.”
vil = “want/will”; with a noun you usually add ha: “vil ha et glass vann.” It’s more direct/neutral.

Should it be “vil … ha et annet valg” rather than “vil … et annet valg”?

Yes. With vil + a thing, add ha: “Vil du ha et annet valg/alternativ?” With ønsker, you don’t add ha.

Why annet and not annen or andre?

The adjective “other/another” inflects irregularly: annen (m/f), annet (neuter), andre (plural). valg is neuter, so it’s annet.

Why is the second clause inverted after eller?

Each coordinated clause is its own yes/no question, so you keep inversion: “… eller ønsker du …?” If they were statements, you’d use normal statement order.

Could I use enten … eller …?

Yes: “Enten har du en mening om forslaget vårt, eller (så) ønsker du et annet alternativ.” This makes the either–or structure explicit.

Is “Har du en mening …” the most idiomatic way to ask for an opinion?

More idiomatic is:

“Hva synes du om forslaget vårt?” (subjective impression)
“Hva mener du om forslaget vårt?” (considered view) “Har du en mening …” is grammatical but less common.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

De = [di].
vårt has retroflex [rt] in much of Norway (“vohrt”).
forslag often has a “sh” sound in “sl” ([foʂ-la:g]).
mening ends with [ŋ] (“MEH-ning”).

How do I say “your opinion” formally vs. informally?

Formal: Deres mening (capital D = formal “your”).
Informal singular: din mening.
Plural: deres mening (lowercase d = “your (plural)” or “their,” resolved by context).