Breakdown of Jeg tar på meg regnjakke og støvler når det regner.
jeg
I
og
and
det
it
når
when
regne
to rain
ta på seg
to put on
regnjakken
the raincoat
støvelen
the boot
Questions & Answers about Jeg tar på meg regnjakke og støvler når det regner.
Why is there no article before the noun in bold: Jeg tar på meg regnjakke?
With clothes, Norwegian often omits the indefinite article after verbs like ta på (seg) and ha på (seg) when speaking generally. So both are fine:
- Jeg tar på meg regnjakke og støvler.
- Jeg tar på meg en regnjakke og støvler. If you add an adjective, you must use the article: Jeg tar på meg en rød regnjakke.
Why do we need meg in tar på meg?
Because the verb is reflexive: ta på seg = put on (clothes). The reflexive pronoun agrees with the subject:
- Jeg tar på meg
- Du tar på deg
- Han/hun tar på seg
- Vi tar på oss
- Dere tar på dere
- De tar på seg Without the reflexive, ta på usually means touch/feel: Han tar på jakken = He touches the jacket.
Could I say just Jeg tar på regnjakke og støvler?
Best avoid it. Without the reflexive pronoun, ta på is likely read as touch. Use tar på meg (or another clear verb) to mean put on.
What’s the difference between ta på (seg) and ha på (seg)?
- ta på (seg) = put on (an action): Jeg tar på meg regnjakke.
- ha på (seg) = wear (a state): Jeg har på meg en regnjakke.
Can I use kle på (seg) here?
Yes, but the nuance changes:
- kle på (seg) = get dressed / dress oneself (more general). You can still specify a garment: Jeg kler på meg regnjakka.
- ta på (seg) focuses on putting on a specific item. For a single garment, ta på (seg) is the most typical choice.
Why is the word order når det regner and not something else?
In a subordinate clause introduced by når, the word order is Subject–Verb: når det regner. If you put this clause first, the main clause follows with verb-second: Når det regner, tar jeg på meg .... If the subordinate clause comes last, no comma is needed: Jeg tar på meg ... når det regner.
Why når and not da?
- når = when (repeated, general, present/future, or habitual past): når det regner.
- da = when (a single event in the past): Da det regnet, tok jeg på meg regnjakke.
Could I use hvis or om instead of når?
Yes, but the meaning shifts:
- når = whenever/when it happens (habitual or certain).
- hvis/om = if it happens (conditional/uncertain). So: Hvis/Om det regner, tar jeg på meg ... = If it rains, I will put on ...
What is the det in det regner?
A dummy subject (expletive). Norwegian, like English, needs a subject in weather expressions: det regner, det snør, det blåser.
Why not say når regner det?
That is a direct question: Når regner det? = When does it rain?
In your sentence, når det regner is a subordinate clause meaning when it rains.
Why is støvler plural with no article?
Indefinite plural in Norwegian normally has no article: støvler = boots. If you want to emphasize quantity, you can say noen støvler (some boots). Definite plural is støvlene (the boots).
How do I say “my rain jacket and boots”?
Use the definite form plus a possessive:
- regnjakka mi og støvlene mine (colloquial Bokmål with feminine)
- regnjakken min og støvlene mine (more traditional Bokmål) Possessives can be omitted if context is clear: regnjakka og støvlene.
How do I negate it? As in “I don’t put on a rain jacket ...”
Place ikke after the finite verb: Jeg tar ikke på meg regnjakke når det regner.
Don’t say: ✗ Jeg tar på meg ikke ...
Any pronunciation tips for tricky words here?
- regnjakke: the g is silent; think roughly rehyn-yah-keh (the n often merges with j: reiny-).
- støvler: the vowel ø is like the vowel in English bird but rounded: stœv-ler.
- jeg varies by dialect; in standard it’s like yay/yai.
- meg often like may/mai.
- regner: rehyn-er.
These are approximations; listening to native audio helps most.
Why is regnjakke one word?
Norwegian compounds are written together. regn + jakke → regnjakke. Writing it as two words (regn jakke) is a common error and can change meaning.
What are the basic forms of the nouns here?
- en regnjakke (sg indef), regnjakken/jakka (sg def), regnjakker (pl indef), regnjakkene (pl def)
- en støvel (sg indef), støvelen/støvlen (sg def), støvler (pl indef), støvlene (pl def)
What are the principal parts of the verb ta?
Infinitive å ta, present tar, past tok, past participle har tatt. For weather: å regne → regner, regnet, har regnet.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Norwegian grammar?”
Norwegian grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning NorwegianMaster Norwegian — from Jeg tar på meg regnjakke og støvler når det regner to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions