Han snakker rolig.

He speaks calmly.

Breakdown of Han snakker rolig.

• han: he
• snakke: to speak
• rolig: calmly

Questions & Answers about Han snakker rolig.

Is rolig an adjective or an adverb here?

Here it functions as an adverb of manner: it tells you how he speaks. Many Norwegian adjectives can be used adverbially without any ending. As an adjective, rolig would describe a noun: Han er rolig (He is calm).

Why isn’t it roligt with a -t ending?

In Bokmål, adjectives ending in -ig/-lig keep the same form when used adverbially, so it’s rolig, not roligt. The form roligt is Swedish. In Nynorsk the adverb would be roleg.

Where do I put rolig in the sentence?

After the verb (and after any object):

• No object: Han snakker rolig.
• With an object: Han snakker norsk rolig. (You can also say: Han snakker rolig på norsk.) Avoid Han rolig snakker, which is unidiomatic in Norwegian.

How do I negate this?

Place ikke after the verb: Han snakker ikke rolig. With a fronted element, it still follows the verb: I dag snakker han ikke rolig.

Does snakker mean both “speaks” and “is speaking”?

Yes. Norwegian present tense covers both simple and progressive: Han snakker rolig = “He speaks calmly” or “He is speaking calmly.” Context decides. You can add nuance with constructions like Han står og snakker rolig (He’s standing and speaking calmly).

How is snakke conjugated?

• Infinitive: å snakke
• Present: snakker
• Preterite (past): snakket
• Past participle: snakket
• Present perfect: har snakket Same form for all persons (no subject–verb agreement).

What’s the pronunciation?

Approximate:

• Han: HAHN [hɑn]
• snakker: SNAK-ker [ˈsnɑkːər] (double k = short a and a long/strong k)
• rolig: ROO-lee [ˈruːli] (the g is often not pronounced; r is tapped/trilled)

Does rolig mean “quietly” or “slowly”?

It mainly means “calmly/unhurriedly/steadily.” For volume, use lavt or lavmælt (soft-spoken): Han snakker lavt. For speed, use sakte or langsomt: Han snakker sakte. Stille often means “quiet(ly)” in the sense of little/no noise, but in this context lavt/lavmælt is clearer.

Could I use another verb than snakker?

• prater = chats/talks (more informal): Han prater rolig.
• sier = says (takes what is said as an object/quote): Han sier rolig at …
• taler = speaks (formal/public speaking): Han taler rolig.

How do I intensify or compare rolig?

• Intensifiers: veldig/ganske/svært: Han snakker veldig rolig.
• Too: for: Han snakker for rolig.
• Comparative/superlative: roligere/roligst: Han snakker roligere enn før.

How would I change the subject to a woman or be gender‑neutral?

• Woman: Hun snakker rolig.
• Gender‑neutral (increasingly used): Hen snakker rolig.

How does this combine with a language like “Norwegian”?

Common patterns:

• Han snakker norsk rolig. (S–V–object–manner)
• Han snakker rolig på norsk. (manner + prepositional phrase) Avoid Han snakker rolig norsk, which can sound like “calm Norwegian” (adjective + noun).

What happens to word order if I start with a time word?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule (the finite verb is in second position):

• I dag snakker han rolig.
• Nå snakker han rolig.

What’s the Nynorsk version?

Han snakkar roleg. (Present snakkar, adverb roleg.)

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

Invert subject and verb:

• Snakker han rolig?

Why is it rolig here but rolig(e) elsewhere?

As an adjective:

• Indefinite singular: rolig (en rolig mann)
• Definite singular/plural: rolige (den rolige mannen / rolige mennesker) As an adverb of manner (our sentence), it stays rolig: Han snakker rolig.

Is rolig a false friend with Swedish?

Yes. In Norwegian, rolig = calm; in Swedish, rolig typically means “funny.” Norwegian “funny” is morsom.