Vi spiser og snakker samtidig.

We eat and talk at the same time.

Breakdown of Vi spiser og snakker samtidig.

• spise: to eat
• vi: we
• snakke: to talk
• og: and
• samtidig: at the same time

Questions & Answers about Vi spiser og snakker samtidig.

Why is it Vi spiser og snakker instead of a progressive like English "are eating and talking"?

Norwegian normally uses the simple present for ongoing actions. Jeg/vi spiser can mean both "I/we eat" and "I/we are eating," depending on context. Present participles (-ende), like spisende or snakkende, are mainly adjectival in modern Norwegian and would sound unnatural here.

Can I start the sentence with Samtidig?

Yes: Samtidig spiser vi og snakker. Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule (the finite verb is in second position), so after fronting samtidig, the verb spiser must come next.

Where should samtidig go, and does it modify both verbs?

Placed at the end, samtidig most naturally applies to the whole coordinated predicate: both eating and talking happen at the same time. If you want to make the scoping explicit, rephrase:

• Vi spiser samtidig som vi snakker.
• Vi snakker mens vi spiser.

Could I use mens instead of samtidig?

Yes. mens introduces a subordinate clause and is often the most natural way to express "while":

• Vi spiser mens vi snakker.
• Vi snakker mens vi spiser. samtidig is an adverb meaning "simultaneously/at the same time."

Do I need a comma before og?

No. When og links two verbs sharing the same subject, you do not use a comma: Vi spiser og snakker samtidig. Even if you repeat the subject (Vi spiser og vi snakker), a comma is normally not used.

What’s the difference between og and å?

• og = "and" (coordinating conjunction), used here to join two finite verbs.
• å = "to" (infinitive marker), used before an infinitive: å spise, å snakke.

Is snakker enough to mean "talk to each other," or should I say snakker sammen?

snakker usually implies talking in context, often to each other. To make it explicit, use snakker sammen:

• Vi spiser og snakker sammen. You can keep samtidig if you want to stress simultaneity: Vi spiser og snakker sammen samtidig (though the simultaneity is often clear without it).

How do you pronounce the words?

• Vi: like "vee."
• spiser: "SPEE-ser" (long i).
• og: usually just "o" (the g is often silent).
• snakker: "SNAK-ker" with a short a and a long kk; the -er ending is a light "er/uh."
• samtidig: "sam-TEE-dee" (the final g is often silent; the stress is on TI).

Why is there a double k in snakker?

Double consonants signal a short preceding vowel. snakker has short a and a long kk, then the present-tense ending -er. It’s the regular present of å snakke: stem snakk- + -er.

Can I reverse the verb order: Vi snakker og spiser samtidig?

Yes. Both orders are fine. The first verb can carry a slight emphasis, but the meaning remains "we are both doing these things at the same time."

How do I negate it?

• To say you don’t talk while eating: Vi spiser, men vi snakker ikke samtidig.
• If you want to negate both actions (less common): Vi spiser ikke og snakker ikke samtidig. Be aware: Vi spiser og snakker ikke samtidig most naturally negates only snakker.

How do I say it in the past or future?

• Past: Vi spiste og snakket samtidig.
• Present perfect: Vi har spist og snakket samtidig.
• Future: Vi skal spise og snakke samtidig. / Vi kommer til å spise og snakke samtidig.

Are there good synonyms for samtidig?

• på samme tid = "at the same time" (neutral/formal): Vi spiser og snakker på samme tid.
• samtidig som to link a clause: Samtidig som vi spiser, snakker vi.
• In informal speech, you may also hear på likt in some dialects.

If I add an object, where does it go?

Place it with the verb it belongs to:

• Object of spise: Vi spiser maten og snakker samtidig.
• Object of snakke: Vi spiser og snakker om jobb samtidig. With mens: Vi spiser maten mens vi snakker.