Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Det gjør vondt i skulderen når jeg løfter stekepannen. - It hurts in the shoulder when I lift the frying pan.

It’s a dummy subject (an expletive). Norwegian often needs a grammatical subject even when there isn’t a real “thing” doing the action. Det gjør vondt is the standard way to say “It hurts.” The det doesn’t refer to anything specific.

Can I say Jeg har vondt i skulderen instead?

Yes. Both are natural:

Det gjør vondt i skulderen … = It hurts in the shoulder …
Jeg har vondt i skulderen … = I have pain in my shoulder …

Nuance: Det gjør vondt often highlights the immediate sensation; jeg har vondt can sound a bit more like an ongoing condition. In practice, both are fine here.

Can I say Det er vondt i skulderen?

That’s not idiomatic for physical pain. Prefer:

Det gjør vondt i skulderen.
Jeg har vondt i skulderen. Use Det er vondt å … for “It’s painful to …” (e.g., Det er vondt å løfte).

Why is it i skulderen and not på skulderen?

Use i for pain felt inside a body part:

vondt i hodet / magen / ryggen / skulderen

Use på for something on the surface or contact:

Han klappet ham på skulderen (tapped him on the shoulder)
Utslett på huden (rash on the skin)

Do I need to add min (my), as in i skulderen min?

Usually no. Norwegian often uses the definite form of body parts without a possessive when it’s clearly your own body:

Jeg har vondt i skulderen. Adding min is possible for emphasis or contrast: … i skulderen min (ikke din).

Why is skulderen in the definite form?

With body parts, Norwegian typically uses the definite form after expressions of pain:

vondt i hodet / magen / ryggen / kneet / skulderen This mirrors the idea “the” head/shoulder that belongs to the subject, without saying “my.”

Can I say skuldra instead of skulderen?

Yes. In Bokmål, the feminine forms are also accepted:

masculine: en skulder – skulderen
feminine: ei skulder – skuldra Both are common; choose one pattern and stay consistent in your text.

Can I put the when-clause first?

Yes, but observe V2 word order in the main clause:

Når jeg løfter stekepannen, gjør det vondt i skulderen. Not: ✗ Når jeg løfter stekepannen, det gjør vondt … (wrong in standard Norwegian)

Why når and not da?

når = when/whenever (present, future, or repeated/general time)
da = when (a single event in the past)

Your sentence describes a general/recurring situation, so når fits. For a single past event: Det gjorde vondt i skulderen da jeg løftet stekepannen.

Could I use om (or hvis) instead of når?

hvis/om = if (conditional), often hypothetical
når = when/whenever (a real, expected condition)

If you mean a real, recurring fact, use når. If you mean a hypothetical condition, use hvis (or om): Det gjør vondt i skulderen hvis jeg løfter stekepannen.

Why use løfter here? Could I use other verbs like bærer, tar opp, or hever?

løfte = lift (the act of raising something)
bære = carry (transport while holding it)
ta opp = pick up
heve = raise (more formal/abstract: raise dough, raise a rate; not used for picking up a pan)

Here, løfter is the most natural.

Why is stekepannen definite? Could I say en stekepanne?

stekepannen = the (specific) frying pan, e.g., the one you’re using
en stekepanne = a frying pan (any pan)

If you mean “whenever I lift a frying pan (any pan), it hurts,” you can say: Når jeg løfter en stekepanne, gjør det vondt i skulderen.

Are there other common words for stekepanne?

stekepanne (also written steikepanne in some varieties) = frying pan
panne alone often means the same in context
Don’t confuse with gryte (pot) or kjele (saucepan)

Why is vondt spelled with -dt, and how is it used?

Base adjective: vond (masc./fem.), vondt (neuter), vonde (plural/with definite)
The -d- is silent here; vondt sounds like “vont.”
In Det gjør vondt, the neuter form vondt is used adverbially (many adjectives do this: hardt, høyt, godt).

How do I pronounce tricky bits like gjør, vondt, skulderen, stekepannen?

Approximate guides:

gjør: like “yur,” with the vowel similar to German “ö” or French “eu”
vondt: “vont” (the d is silent)
skulderen: “SKUL-deh-ren” (u is a fronted “oo” sound)
stekepannen: “STEH-keh-pan-nen” (first e long; double n = a clear n sound)

How would I say it about a past event?

Det gjorde vondt i skulderen da jeg løftet stekepannen.
(Here you switch to past: gjorde, løftet, and use da for a single past time.)

How do I turn it into a yes/no question?

Invert the verb and subject in the main clause:

Gjør det vondt i skulderen når du løfter stekepannen? Alternative with “have pain”:
Har du vondt i skulderen når du løfter stekepannen?