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Questions & Answers about Rulletrappen virker ikke i dag.
Why is the noun in the definite form (rulletrappen) instead of just rulletrapp?
Norwegian usually marks definiteness with a suffix on the noun. Because we’re referring to a specific, context-known escalator, the definite singular is used:
- Indefinite: en/ei rulletrapp (an escalator)
- Definite: rulletrappen or rulletrappa (the escalator)
Can I say rulletrappa instead of rulletrappen?
Yes. In Bokmål, nouns that are historically feminine (like trapp) can be treated as either feminine or masculine.
- Feminine: ei rulletrapp – rulletrappa
- Masculine: en rulletrapp – rulletrappen Pick one system and be consistent within a text; both are common and correct.
Could I use fungerer instead of virker?
Yes. Rulletrappen fungerer ikke i dag is fully natural.
- virke = to work/function, to have an effect, and also to seem
- fungere = to function (neutral/technical) For mechanical devices, both are fine; fungere can sound a touch more technical, virke is very common in everyday speech.
Does virker also mean “seems”? Is that confusing here?
Virke can mean “seem/appear” in the pattern det virker (som om) … (e.g., Det virker som om heisen er ødelagt). In your sentence, virker clearly means “works/functions” because it takes a concrete subject (Rulletrappen) and is negated (virker ikke).
Why is ikke placed after virker?
Norwegian main clauses are verb-second (V2): the finite verb (virker) must be in second position, and the negation ikke typically comes right after the finite verb (unless something else is there). Hence: Rulletrappen (1) virker (2) ikke … This is the default placement of ikke in main clauses.
Can I front the time and say I dag virker ikke rulletrappen? What about I dag virker rulletrappen ikke?
Both are possible.
- I dag virker ikke rulletrappen is very common in speech and headlines; it can put focus on the subject (“it’s the escalator that doesn’t work today”).
- I dag virker rulletrappen ikke is also correct and often considered the more neutral written order (V2 verb, then subject, then ikke). Avoid: Rulletrappen virker i dag ikke (sounds unnatural in standard Bokmål).
Is i dag written as one word (idag) or two?
Write it as two words: i dag. The same goes for i morgen and i går. Older spellings as one word exist historically but are not standard today.
How do you pronounce the sentence?
One common pronunciation (Eastern Norwegian) is roughly:
- Rulletrappen: RUHL-leh-trap-pen [ˈrʉlːəˌtɾɑpːn̩]
- virker: VEER-ker [ˈʋɪr.kəɾ]
- ikke: IKK-eh [ˈɪkːə]
- i dag: ee DAH(g) [i ˈdɑːɡ] (the g is often weak or dropped in casual speech) Double consonants are held a bit longer, and Norwegian r is usually a tap/trill.
Are there other natural ways to say “out of order” here?
Yes:
- Rulletrappen er ute av drift i dag.
- Rulletrappen er i ustand i dag. (slightly more formal/technical)
- Informally for stopped machinery: Rulletrappen står i dag.
- If it’s actually broken: Rulletrappen er ødelagt.
Could I say Rulletrappen er ikke i dag or Rulletrappen kan ikke virke i dag?
- Rulletrappen er ikke i dag is ungrammatical (the verb å være needs a complement like åpen, på, i drift, etc.).
- Rulletrappen kan ikke virke i dag is odd. If you want “can’t be used today,” say Rulletrappen kan ikke brukes i dag. Otherwise stick with virker/fungerer ikke.
Why is it i dag and not på dag?
Time expressions vary by convention:
- Today/tonight/tomorrow: i dag, i kveld, i morgen
- Days of the week for events: på mandag, på tirsdag
- Parts of the day in general: om morgenen, om kvelden
Is rulletrapp a compound? Why no space or hyphen?
Yes, it’s a compound noun (rulle + trapp) and is written as one word: rulletrapp. Norwegian compounds are normally closed (no space, no hyphen) unless a hyphen is needed for readability. Writing rulle trapp or rulle-trapp here is incorrect.
What are the forms of å virke?
Bokmål:
- Infinitive: å virke
- Present: virker
- Preterite: virket (also virka in informal Bokmål)
- Perfect participle: har virket (also har virka informally)
What would this look like in Nynorsk?
In Nynorsk you’d typically use the feminine form and the verb verkar:
- Rulletrappa verkar ikkje i dag.
Why is Rulletrappen capitalized? Are nouns normally capitalized in Norwegian?
It’s capitalized only because it’s the first word of the sentence. Norwegian does not capitalize common nouns in general. Mid-sentence you’d write rulletrappen (lowercase).
Could I say Rulletrappen går ikke i dag?
Yes, colloquially gå can mean “run/operate” for machines and transport: Heisen/båndet/bussen går ikke. For an escalator, går ikke is understandable and idiomatic in speech, though virker/fungerer ikke or er ute av drift are clearer and more standard.