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Questions & Answers about Hva sier sjefen?
Why does the verb come before the subject?
Norwegian uses verb-second (V2) word order in main-clause wh-questions. The finite verb sits in second position:
- Hva (question word) + sier (verb) + sjefen (subject). Compare:
- Statement: Sjefen sier det.
- Question: Hva sier sjefen?
What are the individual words and their forms?
- Hva = what (question word)
- sier = present tense of å si (to say)
- sjefen = the boss (definite singular of sjef)
Why is it sier and not si?
Because sier is the present tense of the verb å si (to say). Key forms:
- Infinitive: å si
- Present: sier
- Preterite (past): sa
- Present perfect: har sagt
- Past participle: sagt
- Imperative: Si!
How do I ask this in the past or future?
- Past: Hva sa sjefen? or Hva har sjefen sagt?
- Future:
- Neutral prediction: Hva kommer sjefen til å si?
- Assumption/willingness: Hva vil sjefen si?
- Plan/obligation: Hva skal sjefen si?
Does the Norwegian present mean both “is saying” and “says”?
Yes. Norwegian present covers both simple and progressive readings. Add time words for clarity:
- Right now: Hva sier sjefen nå/akkurat nå?
- Habitual: Hva pleier sjefen å si? (pleier = usually)
Why does sjefen end with -en?
Norwegian marks definiteness with a suffix. Paradigm for sjef:
- Indefinite singular: en sjef
- Definite singular: sjefen
- Indefinite plural: sjefer
- Definite plural: sjefene
Is sjef gendered? What if my boss is a woman?
sjef is grammatically masculine/common gender in Bokmål, but it refers to any gender. You still say sjefen for a female boss. To specify, you can say kvinnelig sjef (female boss) or use a title like leder. Forms like sjefa are dialectal and not standard Bokmål.
Can I say Hva sjefen sier? as a question?
Not as a stand‑alone question. That word order is used in embedded clauses:
- Jeg vet ikke hva sjefen sier. (I don’t know what the boss says.) As an independent question, keep V2: Hva sier sjefen?
How would this look in Nynorsk?
Kva seier sjefen? In Nynorsk, the verb is seie → seier, and hva is kva. Note that in Bokmål, seier usually means the noun victory.
How do I pronounce it?
- Hva: typically pronounced like va (the h is silent).
- sier: roughly SEE-er; long i; light tapped/rolled r depending on dialect.
- sjefen: SHEH-fen, with a long first e. The sj is the Norwegian “sh” sound (lips slightly rounded).
Can I include who the boss is talking to or what it’s about?
Yes:
- Recipient with til: Hva sier sjefen til deg/oss?
- Topic with om: Hva sier sjefen om saken/meg/prosjektet? You can combine them: Hva sier sjefen til deg om prosjektet?
Are there more conversational alternatives?
- Hva er det sjefen sier? (very common if you didn’t catch it)
- Past, polite: Unnskyld, hva var det sjefen sa?
Where does ikke go if I want to ask what the boss is not saying?
Use a clefted pattern:
- Hva er det sjefen ikke sier? The bare Hva sier ikke sjefen? exists but sounds marked/rhetorical. The clefted version is safer and more natural.
What’s the difference between sjef and leder?
- sjef = boss (person in charge, everyday term)
- leder = leader/manager (common in titles, e.g., avdelingsleder = department manager) Both can map to boss/manager, but sjefen feels more colloquial and concrete.
Can I replace sjefen with a name or a title?
Yes; keep the same word order:
- Hva sier Anna?
- Hva sier rektoren? (the principal)
- Hva sier HR-sjefen?
How would I answer this question naturally?
You can use direct or reported speech:
- Direct: Han/Hun sier: Nå starter vi.
- Reported: Han/Hun sier at møtet begynner klokka ni.
Why Hva and not Hvilken?
Hva asks for the content of what is said. Hvilken/hvilket/hvilke means which and must modify a noun:
- Hva sier sjefen? (What does the boss say?)
- Hvilken sjef sier det? (Which boss says that?)
What intonation should I use?
Wh-questions typically have falling intonation: start higher on Hva, then your pitch falls toward the end of sjefen?