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Nabolaget vårt har en enkel rutine for å melde fra om støy.

Nabolaget vårt har en enkel rutine for å melde fra om støy.
Our neighborhood has a simple routine for reporting noise.
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Questions & Answers about Nabolaget vårt har en enkel rutine for å melde fra om støy.

What does the expression "melde fra" mean? Is it like an English phrasal verb?

Yes. "Melde fra" is a particle verb meaning "to notify, report, let someone know." It behaves much like an English phrasal verb (verb + particle).

  • Synonyms: varsle, gi beskjed (om), rapportere (more formal).
  • Patterns:
    • melde fra til [recipient] om må melde fra til styret om støy.
    • melde fra at meldte fra at hun ble forsinket.
Why is it "om støy"? Could it be "på støy" or "over støy"?

Use om to mark the subject matter ("about/concerning") after verbs like melde fra, informere, varsle. "På" or "over" would be wrong here.

  • Correct: melde fra om støy
  • Also common: informere om endringer, varsle om fare
Can I say "melde om støy" without "fra"?

Yes. Melde om støy is possible and a bit more formal/journalistic (“report noise”). Melde fra (om) is everyday and emphasizes letting someone know as part of a procedure. Both are acceptable:

  • Nabolaget vårt har en rutine for å melde om støy. (slightly more formal)
  • … for å melde fra om støy. (neutral/colloquial-administrative)
Do I really need both "fra" and "om"? It looks like two prepositions.

They do different jobs:

  • melde fra is the fixed verb-particle unit “notify”
  • om støy says what you’re notifying about You can also add a recipient: melde fra til politiet om støy.
What’s the difference between "melde fra" and "si fra/ifra"?
  • si fra/ifra = “speak up/let someone know,” more informal and broad.
  • melde fra = “notify,” somewhat more formal/administrative. All can take “til” (recipient) and “om” (topic): Si fra til naboen om festen. Melde fra til vaktmester om lekkasjen.
Why is the possessive after the noun: "Nabolaget vårt" and not "vårt nabolag"?

Both are correct:

  • Nabolaget vårt (postposed possessive) is the neutral, most common choice.
  • Vårt nabolag (preposed) is more formal/emphatic or contrastive. With adjectives, postposed possessive triggers “double definiteness”:
  • det hyggelige nabolaget vårt Preposed keeps the noun indefinite:
  • vårt hyggelige nabolag
Why "vårt" and not "vår"? What gender is "nabolag"?

"Nabolag" is neuter: et nabolag → nabolaget (definite). The possessive agrees:

  • vår (m/f), vårt (neuter), våre (plural). Hence: Nabolaget vårt.
Can I drop the article and say "har enkel rutine"?
No. With countable singular nouns you normally need the indefinite article: har en enkel rutine. Omitting “en” sounds like a headline or very telegraphic style.
Does "enkel" mean "easy" or "simple"? Could it sound rude?

Here enkel means “simple/straightforward.” It can mean “simple-minded” in other contexts, but not here. For “easy to do,” use lett:

  • en enkel rutine (a simple procedure)
  • Det er lett å følge rutinen (It’s easy to follow the routine)
Why "for å melde fra" and not just "å melde fra"?

After nouns that express purpose (rutine, plan, måte), use for å = “in order to”:

  • en rutine for å melde fra With certain verbs you use bare å:
  • Vi prøver å melde fra. “Rutine til å …” is not idiomatic here; stick with “for å.”
Can I move or split "melde fra" in the sentence?

Keep the particle with the verb: melde fra. In the infinitive and subordinate clauses, you don’t split them.

  • Correct: … for å melde fra om støy.
  • Don’t split: … for å melde om støy fra. (wrong)
Is "støy" countable? Can I say "en støy" or use a plural?

Støy is a mass noun: no indefinite article, no plural. Definite form støyen is possible for specific noise:

  • Støyen fra veien er plagsom. For countable sounds use lyd/lyder. Bråk is a common colloquial synonym for noisy disturbance.
Who are you reporting to? How do I add the recipient?

Use til for the recipient:

  • melde fra til styret / til vaktmester / til politiet Full pattern: melde fra til [recipient] om [topic], or melde fra at [clause].
"ifra" vs "fra": which should I choose?
Both occur in Bokmål in fixed expressions: si ifra / melde ifra. ifra is more colloquial; fra is a touch more neutral/formal. In very formal writing, prefer fra. (In Nynorsk it’s “frå.”)
Any quick pronunciation tips for key words?
  • øy in støy is a rounded diphthong (somewhat like “oy” in “boy,” but with rounded lips).
  • rt in vårt is often a single retroflex sound [ʈ] in Eastern accents.
  • melde is pronounced “MEL-de.”
  • In fast speech, “har en” may sound like “haren,” but context disambiguates.
Are there more formal rephrasings of the whole sentence?
  • I nabolaget vårt finnes det en enkel prosedyre for å rapportere støy.
  • Borettslaget har en enkel ordning for å varsle om støy.