Vær ærlig: liker du planen?

Be honest: do you like the plan?

Breakdown of Vær ærlig: liker du planen?

• være: to be
• du: you
• like: to like
• planen: the plan
• ærlig: honest

Questions & Answers about Vær ærlig: liker du planen?

What exactly is Vær here, and why not være?

Vær is the imperative (command) form of the verb å være (to be): “Be.” You use it to tell or ask someone to be a certain way: Vær ærlig = “Be honest.”

• Infinitive: (å) være
• Present: er
• Past: var
• Perfect: har vært Also note: vær (same spelling) is a noun meaning “weather.” Context tells them apart. “The weather” is været.

Why is there a colon after Vær ærlig?

Norwegian uses a colon to introduce an explanation, result, or quoted speech. Here it links the request to the concrete question it’s introducing. You could also write:

• Vær ærlig – liker du planen? (dash)
• Vær ærlig. Liker du planen? (two sentences) A comma is less standard here.

Why is it Liker du and not Du liker in the question?

Yes/no questions invert the subject and the finite verb. So:

• Statement: Du liker planen.
• Question: Liker du planen? This is the normal way to form neutral yes/no questions in Norwegian.

What does the ending in planen mean?

Norwegian marks definiteness with a suffix:

• Indefinite singular: en plan (a plan)
• Definite singular: planen (the plan)
• Indefinite plural: planer (plans)
• Definite plural: planene (the plans) Here, planen = “the plan.” Note: plan is masculine in this meaning. (There is also a neuter word et plan meaning “a plane” in geometry/levels, but that’s a different word.)

Can I say den plan for “the plan”?

No. With “the” you normally use the suffixed article only: planen. If you add a demonstrative or a possessive, Norwegian uses “double definiteness”:

• “that plan” / a specific “the plan”: den planen
• “this plan”: denne planen
• “the new plan”: den nye planen
• “my plan”: planen min

If I refer back to planen, do I use den or det?

Use den (common gender) for planen:

• Q: Liker du planen? A: Ja, jeg liker den. You will also hear neutral confirmation with det as a prop-word:
• Ja, det gjør jeg. / Nei, det gjør jeg ikke.
• Ja, det liker jeg. Both are fine; the first agrees with the noun, the second confirms the action/content.

Where does ikke go if I want to say “Don’t you like the plan?” or “I don’t like the plan.”?

• Negative question: Liker du ikke planen?
• Negative statement: Jeg liker ikke planen. In main clauses, ikke comes after the subject and before most objects/complements.

Is ærlig an adverb here?

No, it’s an adjective used predicatively after være (be): Vær ærlig = “Be honest.” Some related forms:

• et ærlig svar (a honest/honest answer; neuter takes -t on many adjectives)
• ærlige svar (honest answers; plural -e)
• Addressing several people: Vær ærlige!

How do you pronounce the tricky bits (like æ, ærlig, liker, planen)?

Approximate guide (varies by dialect):

• æ: like the “a” in “bad,” but more open and longer.
• Vær: roughly “vair.” The final r is pronounced (rolled or uvular, depending on dialect).
• ærlig: “AIR-lee,” often with a retroflex l sound in Eastern Norwegian; the final g is usually silent.
• liker: “LEE-ker” (r lightly tapped).
• du: like “doo,” but with a rounded front u ([dʉː]).
• planen: “PLAH-nen” (long, open a). Yes/no questions typically have rising intonation at the end.

Does Vær ærlig sound blunt? How can I soften it?

It can be quite direct, depending on tone. Softer options:

• Kan du være ærlig? (Can you be honest?)
• Kunne du være helt ærlig? (Could you be completely honest?)
• Vær så snill og vær ærlig. (Please be honest.) Or ask for an opinion instead: Hva synes du om planen?

What’s the nuance difference between Liker du planen? and Hva synes du om planen?

• Liker du planen? asks about liking/enjoyment or positive preference.
• Hva synes du om planen? asks for an opinion (“What do you think of the plan?”), which is often perceived as more neutral/polite and broader than a like/dislike question.

How do I say this to more than one person?

Make the adjective and pronoun plural:

• Vær ærlige: liker dere planen? Singular: Vær ærlig: liker du planen?

How would I ask about the past or a period of time?

• Simple past event: Likte du planen? (Did you like the plan?)
• Ongoing/so far: Har du likt planen (så langt)? (Have you liked the plan so far?) Use the simple past for a finished time; use the present perfect if the time period connects to the present (“so far,” “since Monday,” etc.).

Is there a Nynorsk version?

Yes. In Nynorsk you’d typically write: Ver ærleg: likar du planen?

• ver (imperative of “to be”)
• lkar (present of “like”) The noun planen is the same in both standards.