Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hun bryr seg særlig om barna i nabolaget. - She especially cares about the children in the neighborhood.

In Norwegian, å bry seg om is a set reflexive expression meaning “to care about.” The reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject and is required. Without seg, å bry means “to bother/concern,” which is different. Compare:

Hun bryr seg om barna. = She cares about the children.
Det bryr meg ikke. = It doesn’t concern/bother me.

You cannot say “Hun bryr om barna” or “Hun bryr barna” to mean “she cares about the children.”

How do I conjugate the reflexive pattern with different subjects?

Use the matching reflexive form:

jeg bryr meg (om …)
du bryr deg (om …)
han/hun bryr seg (om …)
vi bryr oss (om …)
dere bryr dere (om …)
de bryr seg (om …)

What are the past and perfect forms of this verb?

For the reflexive expression:

Preterite: brydde seg (Hun brydde seg om …)
Present perfect: har brydd seg (Hun har brydd seg om …)

So the key forms are: bryr (present), brydde (past), har brydd (perfect).

Why is the preposition om used here and not for or something else?

The expression is fixed: you bryr deg om something/someone. Other feelings take other prepositions:

bekymre seg for = to worry about
ta seg av = to take care of (look after)
ha omsorg for = to have care/concern for (more formal) So “Hun bryr seg om barna” (cares about) is different from “Hun bekymrer seg for barna” (is worried about) and “Hun tar seg av barna” (looks after them).

Where does i nabolaget attach? Does it modify the verb phrase or the noun?

Here it modifies the noun: barna i nabolaget = “the children in the neighborhood.” By default, a prepositional phrase right after a noun attaches to that noun phrase. If you wanted it to modify the whole clause, you would typically place it earlier: Hun bryr seg særlig om barna, i nabolaget. (still a bit odd) or rephrase for clarity.

Why is it barna (definite plural) instead of just barn?

Norwegian often uses the definite form to refer to a specific, identifiable group, especially when a limiting phrase follows. Barna i nabolaget is a clearly defined set, so definite plural (barna) is natural. Saying barn i nabolaget is more generic/indefinite (“children in a/any neighborhood”) and sounds less specific.

How does the noun barn decline?

It’s irregular and neuter:

Indefinite singular: et barn
Definite singular: barnet
Indefinite plural: barn
Definite plural: barna

What about nabolaget? What gender and forms does it have?

Nabolag is neuter:

Indefinite singular: et nabolag
Definite singular: nabolaget
Indefinite plural: nabolag
Definite plural: nabolagene

Could I say nabolagets barn instead of barna i nabolaget?

Grammatically yes, but nabolagets barn is more formal/literary. In everyday Norwegian, barna i nabolaget is the most natural way to say it.

What does særlig do here, and where else can it go?

Særlig is an adverb meaning “particularly/especially,” modifying the verb phrase. Common placements:

Mid-position (neutral): Hun bryr seg særlig om barna i nabolaget.
Fronted (for emphasis): Særlig bryr hun seg om barna i nabolaget.
At the end (afterthought/emphasis): Hun bryr seg om barna i nabolaget, særlig.

Is there a difference between særlig and spesielt?

They often overlap and both can translate “especially/particularly.” Subtly:

særlig is slightly more formal/neat and very common in writing.
spesielt is very common in speech and can feel a bit more casual. In this sentence, both work: særlig or spesielt.

Is særlig an adjective too? Does it agree?

Yes, særlig can be an adjective meaning “special/particular.” Then it agrees in the usual way:

en særlig grunn (a special reason)
særlige behov (special needs) In your sentence it’s an adverb, so no agreement is needed.

How does Norwegian word order work here? Why is bryr in second position?

Main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb is in the second slot. The order is:

Subject: Hun
Finite verb: bryr
The rest: seg særlig om barna i nabolaget This is standard S–V order (subject first, verb second).

Where would I put negation (ikke) in this sentence?

Place it after the verb (and usually after the reflexive pronoun):

Hun bryr seg ikke om barna i nabolaget. = She does not care about the children in the neighborhood. If you want “not particularly,” use the fixed phrase ikke særlig:
Hun bryr seg ikke særlig om …

What changes if I drop om or seg?

Dropping om: ungrammatical for the “care about” meaning.
Dropping seg: changes the verb to non-reflexive bry, which means “concern/bother.” For example, Det bryr meg ikke = “I don’t care / It doesn’t concern me.” But Hun bryr barna would be interpreted as “She bothers the children” or sound odd; it does not mean “care about.”

Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky words?

Hun: the u is a close, rounded vowel [ʉ], not like English “u.”
bryr: the y is fronted (like German ü), and the r is tapped/flipped in many dialects.
seg: often pronounced like “sai/sey” depending on dialect.
barna: stress on the first syllable, r often taps.
nabolaget: stress on the first syllable: NA-bo-la-get.