Jeg drikker kaffe for ofte.

I drink coffee too often.

Breakdown of Jeg drikker kaffe for ofte.

• jeg: I
• drikke: to drink
• kaffen: the coffee
• for ofte: too often

Questions & Answers about Jeg drikker kaffe for ofte.

What does the word “for” mean in “for ofte”?

Here, for means too (as in “too often”). It’s a degree/intensity marker used before adjectives and adverbs:

• for mye = too much
• for liten = too small
• for sent = too late
• for ofte = too often

It’s the same spelling as the preposition for (“for”), but the meaning is different and clear from context. It’s also not the for in for å (“in order to”).

Is the word order “Jeg drikker kaffe for ofte” natural? Could I also say “Jeg drikker for ofte kaffe” or “Jeg drikker ofte kaffe”?

All three are possible, with slight differences in flow/focus:

• Jeg drikker ofte kaffe. Neutral, very common. “Often” sits in the normal adverb slot (after the finite verb, before the object).
• Jeg drikker for ofte kaffe. Same pattern as above, but with “too often.” Also very natural.
• Jeg drikker kaffe for ofte. Also idiomatic; putting the frequency at the end can give it end-focus (“…too often”).

Avoid attaching “for” to “kaffe.” Here, for modifies ofte, not the noun.

Why is there no article before “kaffe”?

Kaffe is a mass/uncountable noun when you mean coffee in general, so no article is needed: Jeg drikker kaffe. If you mean a specific serving, you can say:

• en kaffe = a coffee (a cup/serving, colloquial)
• kaffen = the coffee (a specific coffee you both know about)

What tense is “drikker”? Does it mean “I drink” or “I am drinking”?

Drikker is the Norwegian present tense, which covers both English simple and progressive:

• “I drink coffee (habitually)”
• “I am drinking coffee (right now)” In your sentence, context makes it habitual: “I drink coffee too often.”

Does using “drikker” without an object imply alcohol?

It often does. Å drikke intransitively can suggest drinking alcohol:

• Han drikker for mye. = He drinks (alcohol) too much. So Jeg drikker for ofte might be heard as “I drink (alcohol) too often.” Adding kaffe removes that ambiguity.

What’s the difference between “for ofte” and “for mye”?

• for ofte = too frequently (focus on frequency)
• for mye = too much (focus on quantity/amount) Examples:
• Jeg drikker kaffe for ofte. = I drink coffee too often (too many times).
• Jeg drikker for mye kaffe. = I drink too much coffee (too large a quantity).

Is “altfor ofte” stronger than “for ofte”?

Yes. altfor ofte ≈ far/way too often, a stronger complaint than for ofte:

• Jeg drikker kaffe altfor ofte. Note: write altfor as one word in standard Norwegian.

How do I say “Do I drink coffee too often?” and “How often do I drink coffee?”

• Yes/no question: Drikker jeg kaffe for ofte?
• Wh-question: Hvor ofte drikker jeg kaffe? Remember V2 word order: the finite verb comes right after the question word or the first element.

Where does “ikke” go if I want to negate it?

• General negation of frequency: Jeg drikker ikke kaffe så ofte. = I don’t drink coffee very often.
• Explicitly denying the “too often” idea: Jeg drikker ikke kaffe for ofte. = I don’t drink coffee too often. You can also say: Jeg drikker ikke ofte kaffe. = I don’t often drink coffee (grammatical, a bit less common). Be careful: Jeg drikker ofte ikke kaffe means “I often don’t drink coffee,” which changes the meaning.

Can I front the adverbial for emphasis, like “Too often, I drink coffee”?

Yes:

• For ofte drikker jeg kaffe.
• Stronger: Altfor ofte drikker jeg kaffe. When you move an adverbial to the front, keep V2: the verb (drikker) must stay in second position, before the subject (jeg).

How would I add a place or time phrase?

Typical options (all fine):

• Jeg drikker for ofte kaffe på jobb. = at work
• Jeg drikker kaffe for ofte om kvelden. = in the evening
• På jobb drikker jeg for ofte kaffe. (fronting the place) Place/time adverbials usually go after the object, or you can front them (and then keep V2).

What are the main forms of the verb “å drikke”?

• Infinitive: å drikke
• Present: drikker
• Preterite (past): drakk
• Past participle: drukket
• Perfect: har drukket
• Imperative: drikk!

Is there any difference between Bokmål and Nynorsk here?

Yes, mainly in pronouns/verb forms and the word for coffee:

• Bokmål: Jeg drikker kaffe for ofte.
• Nynorsk: Eg drikk kaffi for ofte.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

• Jeg ≈ “yai” or “yeh” (regional: [jæi]/[jæ])
• drikker: stress first syllable; double k = long k: [ˈdrɪkːər]
• kaffe: double f = long f: [ˈkɑfːe]
• for: short o, tapped/flapped r: [fɔr]
• ofte: both f and t are pronounced: [ˈɔftə]

Is “Jeg drikker kaffe for ofte” exactly the same as “Jeg drikker for ofte kaffe”?

Both mean “I drink coffee too often.” The mid-field placement (Jeg drikker for ofte kaffe) is the default pattern for frequency adverbs; the end placement (…kaffe for ofte) is also common and can put a bit more emphasis on the “too often” part by placing it sentence-finally.