Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hva slags sjampo bruker du når håret er vått? - What kind of shampoo do you use when your hair is wet?

It means what kind of / what sort of.
You place hva slags directly before the noun: Hva slags sjampo …?, Hva slags musikk liker du?
Slags is invariable (it never changes form).
Synonyms: hvilken type (which type) or more informally hva for (en/ei/et).

Can I say Hvilken sjampo bruker du instead? Is there a nuance difference?

Yes, it’s correct.
Nuance:
- Hva slags sjampo …? asks about the kind/category (e.g., anti-dandruff, volumizing).
- Hvilken sjampo …? asks for a specific one (e.g., a brand/name).
Both are common; choose based on whether you want type vs. specific identity.

Why is the verb before the subject in bruker du?

Norwegian main clauses obey the V2 rule: the finite verb is in second position.
The interrogative phrase Hva slags sjampo counts as position 1, so the verb bruker must come next, then the subject du.
Statement word order would be: Du bruker sjampo …

Why is it håret (the definite form) and not håret ditt or ditt hår?

With body parts, Norwegian often uses the definite form instead of a possessive when ownership is clear from context: Jeg vasker håret = I wash my hair.
You can add a possessive for emphasis/contrast, but it isn’t needed here: … når håret ditt er vått sounds more contrastive or specific.

Why is the adjective vått and not våt or våte?

Agreement rules:
- Masculine/feminine singular: våt (Skjorta er våt.)
- Neuter singular: vått (Håret er vått.)
- Plural: våte (Klærne er våte.)
In predicative position (with “to be”), adjectives agree in gender/number but not definiteness. Since hår/håret is neuter singular, you get vått.
Attributive (before a definite noun) would be: det våte håret.

Why use når and not hvis, da, or mens?

når = when (time), for general or repeated situations: … når håret er vått.
hvis = if (condition): … hvis håret er vått means “if the hair is wet.”
da = when (a single past event): … da håret var vått (referring to one past occasion).
mens = while (simultaneous actions): … mens håret er vått emphasizes “during the time that.”

Do I need a comma before når here?

No comma when the subordinate clause follows the main clause: … bruker du … når håret er vått.
If you front the subordinate clause (in statements), you add a comma: Når håret er vått, vasker jeg det.
In direct wh-questions, it’s most natural to keep the wh-part first and the når-clause at the end, as in the original sentence.

What gender is sjampo, and how does it inflect?

In Bokmål, sjampo is typically masculine.
Countable forms: en sjampo, sjampoen, sjampoer, sjampoene.
You can also use it as a mass noun with no article: Jeg trenger mer sjampo (“I need more shampoo”).

Is sjampo the only correct spelling? What about shampo or shampoo?

The recommended Norwegian spelling is sjampo.
You will see shampo/shampoo in ads or on products, but they’re not the recommended Norwegian forms.
In formal writing, prefer sjampo.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

Hva: the h is silent; pronounce it like “va.”
sj in sjampo is the Norwegian “sj-sound,” similar to English “sh” but often darker: roughly [sh].
u in bruker/du is a fronted “oo” sound ([ʉ]), not like English “uh.”
å: like the vowel in English “saw.” It’s short in vått (double consonant makes the vowel short) and long in håret.
Tapped/rolled r is common.
A rough guide: “va slags SHAHM-poo BROO-ker doo nor HOH-reh ehr vot.” (Dialects vary.)

Why is it Hva slags sjampo and not Hva type sjampo or Hvilken slags sjampo?

Could I drop er and say når håret vått?

No. Norwegian requires the copula er in predicative sentences: Håret er vått.
Leaving out er is ungrammatical here.

How would I ask this to more than one person or more formally?

Plural “you”: Hva slags sjampo bruker dere når håret er vått?
Formal singular De is rare today; if used: Hva slags sjampo bruker De …? (capital D). Most people just use du.

How do I put this in the past or future?

Is hår countable? What’s the difference between hår, et hår, and håret?

hår (no article) is a mass noun: hair in general.
et hår refers to a single hair/strand.
håret (definite) means “the hair,” often used for one’s own hair in contexts like washing, brushing, etc.: Jeg vasker håret.