Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Det er jeg som vasker skittentøyet i kveld. - It is I who wash the dirty laundry tonight.

It’s a cleft sentence used for emphasis. Det er jeg som vasker skittentøyet i kveld highlights the subject — “It’s me (not someone else) who is doing it tonight.” The neutral, non‑emphatic version would be simply: Jeg vasker skittentøyet i kveld.

Why is it jeg and not meg after Det er?

In standard written Norwegian, when the pronoun is the subject of the following som‑clause, you use the nominative: Det er jeg som vasker … Many people say Det er meg som … in everyday speech, and Det er meg is fine when the pronoun stands alone (e.g., answering the door: “It’s me”). For careful writing or exams, prefer Det er jeg som …

What does som mean here, and can I omit it?

Som is a relative word meaning “who/that,” introducing the clause that describes the focused element. Because it refers to the subject, you cannot omit it here.

Correct: Det er jeg som vasker …
Incorrect: Det er jeg vasker …
When the focused element is not the subject (e.g., the object), som is often used and sometimes can be omitted: Det er skittentøyet (som) jeg vasker i kveld.

Why is the word order jeg som vasker and not som vasker jeg?

Inside a som‑clause (a relative/subordinate clause), Norwegian does not use the main‑clause V2 word order. The subject comes before the verb: jeg vasker, not vasker jeg. So: … som jeg vasker or, when the subject is the focused element as here, … som vasker with the subject already specified by the cleft’s first part (jeg).

Why is vasker in the present tense if the action is tonight (i kveld)?

Norwegian often uses the simple present for near‑future, scheduled, or planned actions: Jeg vasker i kveld = “I’m washing tonight.” You can also use skal to emphasize intention/arrangement: Jeg skal vaske skittentøyet i kveld. Both are natural; skal can sound a bit more like duty or a firm plan.

Can I say Det er jeg som skal vaske skittentøyet i kveld? Is there a nuance difference?

Yes. Det er jeg som skal vaske … emphasizes that you are the one who is assigned/obliged to do it. Det er jeg som vasker … sounds more like a statement of fact or plan, without the extra sense of obligation.

What exactly is skittentøyet, and why the definite ending -et?

Skittentøy is a neuter noun meaning “dirty laundry.” Adding -et makes it definite: skittentøyet = “the dirty laundry,” referring to a particular pile/batch. Using the indefinite (skittentøy) would be more general (“dirty laundry” as a type or some amount). Here, skittentøyet implies a specific load everyone knows about.

Could I use other words instead of skittentøyet?

Yes, depending on nuance:

klærne = “the clothes” (more concrete items): Jeg vasker klærne i kveld.
klesvasken = “the laundry (task/load): Jeg tar klesvasken i kveld (idiomatic: “I’ll do the laundry tonight”).
Avoid Jeg vasker klesvasken; use tar/gjør klesvasken instead.

What does i kveld mean exactly? Is it one word or two? How is it different from i natt or i ettermiddag?

i kveld = “this evening/tonight (evening hours).” It is always written as two words.
i natt = “tonight (during the night)” or “at night.”
i ettermiddag = “this afternoon.”
i aften exists but is more formal/old‑fashioned.
Note: på kvelden means “in the evenings” (habitually), not “this evening.”

Can I flip the emphasis and say Det er i kveld jeg vasker skittentøyet?

Yes. That cleft emphasizes the time: “It’s this evening that I’m washing the laundry.” It contrasts with the original, which emphasizes the person doing it. Both are idiomatic; use the one that matches what you want to highlight.

How do I negate this, and where does ikke go?

Two common options, with different meanings:

Det er ikke jeg som vasker skittentøyet i kveld. = “It’s not me who’s washing it tonight.” (Negation in the main clause; someone else will.)
Det er jeg som ikke vasker skittentøyet i kveld. = “I’m the one who isn’t washing it tonight.” (Negation inside the som‑clause; you specifically are not doing it.)
Inside a som‑clause, ikke comes after the subject and before the verb: … som jeg ikke vasker …

Any pronunciation tips, especially for skittentøyet?

skittentøyet: roughly [SHIT‑ten‑toy‑eh].
- øy is a diphthong like English “oy” but with rounded lips (Norwegian [œy]).
- The final -et is pronounced as a light -e in many accents.
kveld: the kv is like “kv” in “kvetch,” and the ld often sounds like a dark “l” + soft “d” or just a dark “l,” depending on dialect.