Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hvilken kjole vil du bruke i kveld?

Hvilken kjole vil du bruke i kveld? (focus on your intention/preference)
Hvilken kjole skal du bruke i kveld? (more on a set plan/arrangement)
To say “want to” unambiguously, you can use: Hvilken kjole har du lyst til å bruke i kveld?

Why is bruke used for clothing instead of a verb that literally means “wear”?

Norwegian often uses bruke (“use”) for clothing and accessories. It’s idiomatic:

bruke: “wear/use” (e.g., Bruker du briller? = “Do you wear glasses?”)
ha på (seg): “have on, wear” (e.g., Hvilken kjole skal du ha på deg i kveld?)
ta på (seg): “put on” (e.g., Jeg tar på meg kjolen nå.)

In your sentence, bruke is completely natural.

Why is it hvilken and not hvilket or hvilke?

Because kjole is a singular common-gender (en-word) noun:

Singular common gender: hvilken (hvilken kjole)
Singular neuter: hvilket (e.g., hvilket skjørt “which skirt”)
Plural (all genders): hvilke (e.g., hvilke kjoler “which dresses”)

Should it be definite after “which”? Why not hvilken kjolen?

After a “which”-word, the noun stays indefinite:

Correct: hvilken kjole
Incorrect: hvilken kjolen

Definiteness returns in answers: Den røde kjolen (“the red dress”).

How is the word order decided in this question?

Norwegian follows the V2 rule (the finite verb is in second position in main clauses). In wh-questions, the wh-phrase counts as the first position:

WH-phrase + finite verb + subject + other stuff
Hvilken kjole (1) vil (2) du (3) bruke i kveld.

Where would ikke go if I want to say “Which dress will you not wear tonight?”

Place ikke after the subject (and before the non-finite verb):

Hvilken kjole vil du ikke bruke i kveld?

Can I move i kveld to a different place in the sentence?

Default and most natural is at the end:

Hvilken kjole vil du bruke i kveld?

You can front it for emphasis, but it’s more marked:

I kveld, hvilken kjole vil du bruke? (emphatic/style choice)

Placing it mid-clause is possible but can sound stiff:

Hvilken kjole vil du i kveld bruke? (formal/literary)

Does i kveld mean “tonight” or “this evening”? What about i natt and i aften?

i kveld = “this evening/tonight” (evening hours)
i natt = “tonight” (during the night)
i aften exists but is formal/old-fashioned; i kveld is the everyday choice
Habitual “in the evenings” is om kvelden/på kvelden.

Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?

Hvilken: the h in hv is silent → sounds like “VIL-ken.”
kjole: kj is a soft fronted sound (not English “sh”); approximate “KYO-leh.”
vil: short clear vowel, like “vil.”
du: the u is fronted (like a tight “oo”): “dü.”
i kveld: say “ee kvel,” the final d in kveld is often silent.

Pronunciation varies by region, so you’ll hear some differences.

Are there natural alternative ways to ask the same thing?

Yes:

Hvilken kjole skal du (ha på deg) i kveld? (plan)
Hvilken kjole kommer du til å bruke i kveld? (likely outcome)
Hva slags kjole vil du bruke i kveld? (what kind/type of dress)
Hva for en kjole vil du bruke i kveld? (colloquial “what kind of”)

Can I use the present tense for a future plan?

Yes, Norwegian often uses the present for scheduled/near-future events:

Hvilken kjole bruker du i kveld? ≈ “Which dress are you wearing tonight?” This sounds natural if the plan is set.

What gender is kjole, and how do its forms look? How is it different from skjørt?

kjole is common gender (en-word):
- en kjole, kjolen, kjoler, kjolene
skjørt (“skirt”) is neuter:
- et skjørt, skjørtet, skjørt, skjørtene

Is du informal? Is there a polite form I should use instead?

Du is the normal “you” in modern Norwegian, even with strangers. The old formal De is rare today and mostly limited to very formal or old-fashioned contexts.

Is it i kveld or ikveld?

Standard spelling is two words: i kveld. The fused form ikveld is non-standard.

How could I answer this question naturally?

Den røde (kjolen).
Den blå kjolen min.
Kanskje den svarte.
Jeg vet ikke ennå. (I don’t know yet.)