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De kan ringe oss i kveld.

De kan ringe oss i kveld.
You can call us tonight.
FromLesson 29inHardcore Norwegian
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Questions & Answers about De kan ringe oss i kveld.

Does De mean “they” or “you (formal)” here?
At the start of a sentence, De is capitalized anyway, so context must decide. In modern Norwegian, it will almost always mean they. The formal you written as De/Dem is old-fashioned and mostly limited to very formal letters. For everyday “you (plural),” Norwegians use dere, not De.
Why is it kan ringe and not something like “to ring”?

Norwegian uses a modal verb + bare infinitive:

  • kan = can
  • ringe = (to) call, bare infinitive without å after modals

So the pattern is: Subject + finite modal + bare infinitive (+ objects/adverbs) Example: De kan ringe oss i kveld.

What does kan express here—ability, permission, or possibility?
It can express any of those, depending on context, just like English “can.” Without extra context, it’s neutral: they are able/allowed/it’s possible for them to call.
Could I use skal, vil, or kommer til å instead of kan?

Yes, but each changes the nuance:

  • De skal ringe oss i kveld. = They are scheduled/supposed to call (plan/arrangement).
  • De vil ringe oss i kveld. = They want/intend to call (will/volition).
  • De kommer til å ringe oss i kveld. = They are going to call (likely outcome/prediction).
  • De kan ringe oss i kveld. = They can call (ability/permission/possibility).
How do I negate the sentence?

Place ikke after the finite verb (the modal):

  • De kan ikke ringe oss i kveld.

If you front the time phrase for emphasis:

  • I kveld kan de ikke ringe oss.
Why is the verb in second position?

Norwegian is a V2 language in main clauses: the finite verb must be the second element.

  • Neutral order: De (1) kan (2) ringe oss i kveld.
  • If you front something (e.g., time), the verb stays second:
    • I kveld (1) kan (2) de ringe oss.
Can I move the time phrase around?

Yes. Common options:

  • Neutral: De kan ringe oss i kveld.
  • Time first (emphasis on “tonight”): I kveld kan de ringe oss.
  • Less common/stylistic: De kan i kveld ringe oss. (usually avoided in everyday speech)
Do I need the preposition til with ringe?

No. Both are fine:

  • ringe oss (very common)
  • ringe til oss (also acceptable)

Note: ringe på means “ring the doorbell.”

What’s the difference between vi and oss?
  • vi = we (subject form)
  • oss = us (object form) You need oss here because it’s the object of ringe.
How do I make a yes/no question?

Invert subject and finite verb (modal first):

  • Kan de ringe oss i kveld?
How do I ask a wh-question based on this?

Put the wh-word first, keep V2:

  • Når kan de ringe oss? (When can they call us?)
  • Hvem kan ringe oss i kveld? (Who can call us tonight?)
How do I say “They will call us tonight” (future, not just ability)?

Use a future-like form:

  • De kommer til å ringe oss i kveld. (neutral prediction)
  • De skal ringe oss i kveld. (plan/arrangement) Avoid De vil ringe oss unless you mean “they want to.”
Is there a difference between i kveld, i natt, and på kvelden/om kvelden?
  • i kveld = this evening/tonight (before bedtime)
  • i natt = tonight (during the night)
  • på kvelden / om kvelden = in the evenings (habitually, general time)
What are the object pronoun swaps for other people?
  • me = meg → De kan ringe meg i kveld.
  • you (sg) = deg → De kan ringe deg i kveld.
  • him = ham/han → De kan ringe ham/han i kveld.
  • her = henne → De kan ringe henne i kveld.
  • us = oss
  • you (pl) = dere → object is also dere
  • them = dem → De kan ringe dem i kveld.
How do I pronounce the sentence?

Approximate Standard Eastern Norwegian:

  • De: “dee” [diː]
  • kan: “kahn” [kɑn]
  • ringe: “RING-eh” [ˈrɪŋːə] (ng = long “ng” sound)
  • oss: “oss/awss” [ɔs]
  • i: “ee” [i]
  • kveld: “kvell” [kvɛl] (silent d)

Combined: [diː kɑn ˈrɪŋːə ɔs i kvɛl]

Is there any ambiguity because De is capitalized?
A little. At sentence-initial position, De could be either “They” (normal) or the formal “You.” In today’s usage, readers will assume “They” unless the context is extremely formal and consistently uses De/Dem for the addressee.