Questions & Answers about Han innrømmer at planen ikke var klar.
Why is the main verb present (innrømmer) while the verb in the clause is past (var)?
Norwegian freely mixes tenses across clauses to reflect time. He is admitting now (present), about a state that existed earlier (past).
- If the admission happened in the past too: Han innrømmet at planen ikke var klar.
- If the plan is still not ready now: Han innrømmer at planen ikke er klar.
Why is it at planen ikke var and not at planen var ikke?
Because in subordinate clauses, adverbs like ikke come before the finite verb. Pattern:
- Main clause: Subject – finite verb – ikke – rest (e.g., Planen var ikke klar.)
- Subordinate clause: at
- Subject – ikke – finite verb – rest (e.g., at planen ikke var klar)
Is Han innrømmer at planen var ikke klar ever acceptable?
No, not in standard Norwegian. In a subordinate clause introduced by at, ikke must come before the finite verb: at planen ikke var klar.
Do I need the word at here? Can I drop it like English sometimes drops that?
In standard written Norwegian you keep at. In casual speech it can be dropped after many reporting verbs, but after innrømme it’s less common and can sound abrupt. Safe choice: keep at.