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Vi må melde fra om støy i nabolaget.

Vi må melde fra om støy i nabolaget.
We must report noise in the neighborhood.
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Questions & Answers about Vi må melde fra om støy i nabolaget.

What does the modal verb må express here?

It signals obligation/necessity (roughly “must/have to”). For nuance:

  • bør = should (recommendation)
  • skal = scheduled/decided/obligatory by rule
  • trenger å = need to (practical necessity), not the same as må
Why is there no å before melde?
Because må is a modal verb. After modals (kan, vil, skal, må, bør), the next verb is a bare infinitive: må melde, not må å melde.
What does melde fra mean, and do I need the fra?
Melde fra is a fixed verb phrase meaning “notify/let someone know.” The fra is part of the expression (like a particle) and cannot be dropped without changing the meaning. Plain melde can mean “announce/register/report” in other contexts (e.g., melde skade to an insurer), but it doesn’t mean “notify” by itself.
Why is there also om after melde fra?

Here om introduces the topic/content of the notification (what you’re notifying about). So:

  • verb phrase: melde fra (notify)
  • preposition: om
    • topic (about noise)
Can I say Vi må melde om støy i nabolaget instead?

Yes. Melde om means “report about.” Both melde fra om … and melde om … are used. Very loosely:

  • melde fra (om X) = notify someone (about X)
  • melde om X = report about X (slightly more neutral/formal) Both are fine in everyday Norwegian here.
How do I include who we are notifying (the recipient)?

Use til:

  • Vi må melde fra til kommunen/politiet/borettslaget om støy. Don’t use for or hos for the recipient in this structure.
Can I change the order of recipient and topic?

Yes, both are fine:

  • Vi må melde fra til kommunen om støy i nabolaget.
  • Vi må melde fra om støy i nabolaget til kommunen. Choose the order that flows best with what’s already in focus.
Is the word order fixed, or can I front elements?

You can front an adverbial, but keep the V2 rule (the finite verb in second position):

  • I nabolaget må vi melde fra om støy.
  • Om støy i nabolaget må vi melde fra.
How do I negate this without sounding like a prohibition?
  • Vi må ikke melde fra … = must not (prohibited)
  • Vi trenger ikke å melde fra … = don’t need to (no obligation) Use trenger ikke å for “don’t have to.”
What’s the difference between støy and bråk?
  • støy = noise (unpleasant sound), neutral/formal; often used in regulations.
  • bråk = racket/rowdy disturbance; more colloquial and can imply trouble. Both can fit, but støy is the standard term for noise issues.
Why is there no article with støy?
Støy is a mass (uncountable) noun, so no indefinite article. You can use the definite form if you mean specific, known noise: støyen (“the noise”).
Why is it i nabolaget and not another preposition?

For being inside an area, Norwegian uses i. So i nabolaget = in the neighborhood. Alternatives:

  • i området = in the area
  • i nærheten = nearby/in the vicinity
Why the definite form nabolaget and not nabolag?
Norwegian typically uses the definite when referring to a contextually clear, shared place like “the neighborhood” (your local one). You can add a possessive for clarity: nabolaget vårt (our neighborhood).
What are the grammatical forms of nabolag?

Neuter noun:

  • singular indefinite: et nabolag
  • singular definite: nabolaget
  • plural indefinite: nabolag
  • plural definite: nabolagene
Can the content be a clause instead of a noun?

Yes. Use at with a clause:

  • Vi må melde fra at det er støy i nabolaget. With melde/si fra, prefer just at, not om at. With other verbs (e.g., informere), om at is normal: informere noen om at …
Is melde fra formal? What are alternatives?

Neutral and common. Alternatives by register:

  • Informal: si fra, gi beskjed (om)
  • Neutral/formal: varsle, rapportere
  • Police/legal: anmelde (report to the police)
How do I put this in past or future?
  • Past obligation: Vi måtte melde fra …
  • Present perfect: Vi har måttet melde fra … (note the double t in måttet)
  • Future necessity: Vi kommer til å måtte melde fra … or simply context with må about a future situation.
Is there an imperative form?
Yes: Meld fra om støy i nabolaget! You can also add a recipient: Meld fra til kommunen …
Any quick pronunciation tips?
  • må: long å [moː]
  • melde: stress on first syllable; the d is clear
  • støy: the øy is a diphthong like the vowel in English “boy,” but with rounded lips
  • nabolaget: stress on na, all vowels clear; final -et is pronounced [e] or [ət] depending on dialect