Vi løfter bordet sammen.

We lift the table together.

Breakdown of Vi løfter bordet sammen.

• vi: we
• sammen: together
• bordet: the table
• løfte: to lift

Questions & Answers about Vi løfter bordet sammen.

What role does each word play in the sentence?

• Vi: subject pronoun meaning “we.”
• løfter: present tense of the verb å løfte (“to lift”); 3rd person and 1st/2nd persons all use the same present ending in Norwegian.
• bordet: direct object in the definite singular (“the table”). Base noun is bord (neuter).
• sammen: adverb meaning “together.”

Why is “the” attached to the noun in bordet instead of being a separate word?

Norwegian uses a suffixed definite article for most nouns.

• Indefinite singular: et bord (“a table”)
• Definite singular: bordet (“the table”)
• Indefinite plural: bord
• Definite plural: bordene (also accepted: borda) Because you’re referring to a specific table, you use the definite form bordet.

How do I pronounce the words, especially ø and the rd in bordet?

Approximate IPA and tips (dialects vary):

• Vi: /viː/ (“vee”).
• løfter: /ˈløf.tər/ or /ˈlœf.tər/. The ø is like German ö or French eu in “peu.”
• bordet: East Norwegian often has retroflex for rd: /ˈbuːɖə/; other dialects may say /ˈbuːɾe/. Think “BOOR-deh,” with a short final vowel.
• sammen: /ˈsɑmːən/. Double m makes the preceding vowel short: “SAH-men.” R can be a tapped/trilled [r] or a uvular [ʁ], depending on region.

Is the word order fixed? Where does sammen usually go?

The neutral, most idiomatic order is Subject–Verb–Object–Adverb:

• Vi løfter bordet sammen. You can also front the adverb for emphasis; then the verb must be in second position (main-clause V2 rule):
• Sammen løfter vi bordet. Avoid Vi løfter sammen bordet in standard speech; it sounds awkward outside special emphasis contexts.

How do I turn this into a yes/no question or a wh-question?

• Yes/no: Løfter vi bordet sammen?
• Wh-questions:
  • Object: Hva løfter vi sammen? (“What are we lifting together?”)
  • Subject: Hvem løfter bordet sammen? (“Who is lifting the table together?”)
  • Adverbial: Når/Hvorfor/Hvordan løfter vi bordet?

Does Norwegian need a special “-ing” form to say it’s happening right now?

No. The simple present covers both habitual and ongoing actions:

• Vi løfter bordet (nå). To stress the ongoing nature, you can use:
• Vi holder på å løfte bordet.

Why løfter and not bærer or hever?

• å løfte = to lift (raise something up from a surface or lower position).
• å bære = to carry (transport while holding it). You often lift first, then carry.
• å heve = to raise/elevate (more formal/technical: raise prices, raise one’s voice, raise the height). For a table in everyday speech, use løfte. So here, løfter is the natural choice.

Do I need to add opp (up), like løfter opp?

Often å løfte already implies upward movement, so opp is optional:

• Vi løfter bordet. (fine)
• Vi løfter bordet opp. (adds a bit of “upwards” emphasis or movement off a surface) Use opp if the “upward” direction is important to you.

If I replace bordet with a pronoun, which one should I use?

Bord is neuter, so use det:

• Vi løfter det sammen. For masculine/feminine nouns you’d use den:
• Vi løfter den sammen. (e.g., for stolen “the chair”)

Where does the negation ikke go?

Place ikke after the finite verb (and after the subject):

• Vi løfter ikke bordet sammen. If you contrast “togetherness,” you can say:
• Vi løfter ikke bordet sammen, men hver for oss. (“…but each on our own”)

How do I talk about past or future?

• Past: Vi løftet bordet sammen. (also accepted: Vi løfta bordet sammen.)
• Present perfect: Vi har løftet/løfta bordet sammen.
• Future/plans:
  • Vi skal løfte bordet sammen.
  • Vi kommer til å løfte bordet sammen. With modals (skal, vil, må, kan), the main verb is in the infinitive: løfte.

What are the principal forms of the verb løfte?

• Infinitive: å løfte
• Present: løfter
• Preterite: løftet (also løfta)
• Past participle: (har) løftet (also løfta) Both -et and -a endings are accepted in Bokmål; -a is more informal/dialectal.

Are there Nynorsk or dialect variants I should recognize?

Yes:

• Nynorsk: Vi løftar bordet saman. (or Me løftar bordet saman.)
• Some dialects use i lag for “together”: Vi løfter bordet i lag.

Does løfte ever mean “promise”?

As a verb, å løfte means “to lift.” The noun et løfte means “a promise.” To promise (verb) is å love. So don’t say å løfte when you mean “to promise.”

Why is Vi capitalized here? Is that a pronoun rule?

It’s capitalized only because it starts the sentence. Norwegian pronouns (like jeg, vi, han) are not capitalized in the middle of sentences.

How do adjectives agree with bord in similar sentences?

Since bord is neuter:

• Indefinite: et tungt bord (“a heavy table”)
• Definite: det tunge bordet (“the heavy table”) Example: Vi løfter det tunge bordet sammen.