Jeg glemmer ikke løftet.

I do not forget the promise.

Breakdown of Jeg glemmer ikke løftet.

• jeg: I
• ikke: not
• glemme: to forget
• løftet: the promise

Questions & Answers about Jeg glemmer ikke løftet.

Why does the negation come after the verb in “Jeg glemmer ikke løftet”?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb sits in second position. The negation ikke normally goes right after the finite verb.

• Jeg glemmer ikke løftet.
• I morgen glemmer jeg ikke løftet. (Fronted time → verb still second) If you front something else (time, object, etc.), the finite verb still stays second, and ikke follows it.

Could this sentence mean “I won’t forget the promise,” not just “I don’t forget the promise”?

Yes. Present tense in Norwegian can express a firm promise or near-future meaning when context supports it. “Jeg glemmer ikke løftet” is often used as an assurance roughly equivalent to English “I won’t forget the promise.” For an explicitly future phrasing:

• Jeg skal ikke glemme løftet. (promise/commitment)
• Jeg kommer ikke til å glemme løftet. (neutral prediction) Be careful with “Jeg vil ikke glemme løftet,” which can also mean “I don’t want to forget the promise.”

Where does the negation go if I replace the object with a pronoun?

Object pronouns usually come before ikke:

• Jeg glemmer det ikke. (most natural) “Jeg glemmer ikke det” is possible only with strong emphasis on det (“that (one), I don’t forget”).

Why is it “løftet” and not “løfte”?

Because it’s definite: “the promise.” The noun løfte is neuter.

• et løfte = a promise (indefinite singular)
• løftet = the promise (definite singular)
• løfter = promises (indefinite plural)
• løftene = the promises (definite plural)

Could “løftet” here be the verb “lifted”?

Spelled the same, yes, but the grammar rules it out here. After glemmer you need a noun (the thing you don’t forget). As a verb, løftet is the preterite/participle of å løfte (to lift): “Han løftet boksen” (He lifted the box). In this sentence, løftet must be the noun “the promise.”

How do I say “I haven’t forgotten the promise”?

Use the present perfect:

• Jeg har ikke glemt løftet. Simple past for “I didn’t forget the promise (on that occasion)”:
• Jeg glemte ikke løftet.

How do I form a yes/no question with this?

Invert subject and verb, keep ikke after the subject:

• Glemmer du ikke løftet? (Don’t you forget the promise?/Aren’t you forgetting the promise?) Avoid “Glemmer du løftet ikke?” in standard Norwegian.

How can I emphasize the object?

Front it:

• Løftet glemmer jeg ikke. This highlights that it’s specifically “the promise” you won’t forget.

What if I want to say “never” instead of “not”?

Use aldri (never) in the same position as ikke:

• Jeg glemmer aldri løftet. With a pronoun object:
• Jeg glemmer det aldri.

What happens to the word order if I start with a time expression?

Keep V2: the finite verb stays second, ikke follows it.

• I morgen glemmer jeg ikke løftet.
• Denne gangen glemmer jeg ikke løftet.

How do I conjugate “å glemme” (to forget)?

• Infinitive: å glemme
• Present: glemmer
• Preterite (past): glemte
• Past participle: glemt
• Imperative: glem! Examples: Jeg glemmer det ikke. / Jeg glemte det ikke. / Jeg har ikke glemt det.

How do I pronounce the tricky parts?

Approximate Eastern Norwegian:

• Jeg: often [jæi]/[jæj] (like “yai”)
• glemmer: [ˈɡlɛmːeɾ] (double m = long m)
• ikke: [ˈɪkːe] (double k = long k)
• løftet: [ˈløftə] (ø is a rounded front vowel; the -t in the definite ending -et is often silent in many dialects) Dialectal variation is common and accepted.

Can I use “ingen” instead of “ikke”?

No. Ikke negates verbs/adjectives/adverbs; ingen means “no/none” and modifies nouns:

• Jeg glemmer ikke løftet. (I don’t forget the promise.)
• Jeg har ingen løfter. (I have no promises.) With a plural noun under negation you could say: Jeg glemmer ingen løfter (I forget no promises), but it’s stylistically marked.

Is there anything to watch out for with similar-looking forms like “løfter”?

Yes:

• As a noun: løfter = promises (indefinite plural): Jeg glemmer ikke løfter (I don’t forget promises).
• As a verb: (å) løfte → present løfter (lifts). Only context tells which it is. Also note Nynorsk/dialectal differences: eg (I), ikkje (not), gløymer (forgets).