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Jeg innrømmer at jeg kom for sent.

Jeg innrømmer at jeg kom for sent.
I admit that I arrived too late.
FromLesson 34inHardcore Norwegian
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Breakdown of Jeg innrømmer at jeg kom for sent.

jeg
I
at
that
komme
to arrive
for sent
too late
innrømme
to admit

Questions & Answers about Jeg innrømmer at jeg kom for sent.

Do I need the word at here, or can I say “Jeg innrømmer jeg kom for sent”?
Use at. With the verb innrømme (to admit), the complement clause normally takes the subordinator at (that): Jeg innrømmer at …. Dropping at here sounds nonstandard. If you don’t want a that-clause, you can use a pronoun object instead: Jeg innrømmer det.
Why is it at jeg kom and not at kom jeg?
Norwegian subordinate clauses (like the at-clause) are not V2. The finite verb does not move in front of the subject. So you say at jeg kom, not at kom jeg. Main clauses are V2 (verb in second position), subordinate clauses are not.
Where would I put ikke (not) in the at-clause?

In subordinate clauses, ikke comes before the finite verb:

  • Jeg innrømmer at jeg ikke kom for sent. (I admit that I did not arrive late.) In a main clause, it comes after the verb: Jeg kom ikke for sent.
What does for mean in for sent?
Here for is an intensifier meaning “too,” not the preposition “for.” So for sent = “too late.” You can strengthen it with altfor: altfor sent = “far too late.”
Why is it sent and not sen?
  • sen is the adjective “late”: Jeg var for sen (I was too late).
  • sent is the adverb form: Jeg kom for sent (I arrived too late). Here it modifies how you arrived, so you use the adverb sent.
Can I write it as one word, forsent?
No. It’s two words: for sent. (In Nynorsk: for seint.)
Is there a comma before at in Norwegian?

Not in this sentence. In modern standard punctuation you do not put a comma before an at-clause that functions as the object:

  • Jeg innrømmer at jeg kom for sent. You do use a comma if the subordinate clause comes first:
  • At jeg kom for sent, innrømmer jeg.
Could I say Jeg må innrømme at jeg kom for sent?

Yes. må innrømme (“must/have to admit”) is very common and slightly softens/hedges the admission. Both are natural:

  • Jeg innrømmer at …
  • Jeg må innrømme at …
What’s the difference between kom for sent, var for sen, and ble forsinket?
  • kom for sent = arrived late (focus on the act of arriving late; very common for being late to an event/meeting).
  • var for sen = was too late (more state-like; also fine).
  • ble (eller var) forsinket = was delayed (focus on the delay, often implying circumstances): Jeg ble forsinket av trafikken.
Can I use the present perfect: Jeg innrømmer at jeg har kommet for sent?
You can, but it changes nuance. har kommet for sent ties the lateness to the present result (“I have arrived too late [now]”). For a finished past event, kom for sent is usually more natural.
Can I say Jeg innrømmer å komme for sent?

No. After innrømme, Norwegian prefers a that-clause: innrømme at …, not an infinitive. An infinitive perfect like å ha kommet is possible but uncommon and usually better replaced by an at-clause:

  • Prefer: Jeg innrømmer at jeg kom for sent.
  • Avoid: Jeg innrømmer å komme for sent.
Do I have to repeat jeg in the second clause? Could I drop it?

You must repeat it. Norwegian is not a “pro‑drop” language. You cannot omit the subject in the at-clause:

  • Correct: … at jeg kom …
  • Incorrect: … at kom … or … at kom for sent.
How do I conjugate innrømme?

Present: innrømmer
Past: both forms are accepted in Bokmål — innrømte or innrømmet
Past participle: innrømt or innrømmet
Examples:

  • Han innrømte/innrømmet at han kom for sent.
  • Han har innrømt/innrømmet det.
What about the variant seint?

seint is an accepted alternative to sent in Bokmål and is the standard in many dialects and in Nynorsk. So you may see:

  • Bokmål: for sent or for seint
  • Nynorsk: for seint (and Eg instead of Jeg)
How would I make a polite apology with this idea?

Common options:

  • Unnskyld at jeg kom for sent.
  • Beklager at jeg kom for sent. You can combine with an admission: Jeg må innrømme at jeg kom for sent. Beklager.
Can I add a time expression like “today” or “yesterday”? Where does it go?

Yes. Put it naturally at the end of the clause:

  • Jeg innrømmer at jeg kom for sent i dag/i går. Word order inside the at-clause remains subject–verb–rest: … at jeg kom …
Is jeg always capitalized like English “I”?

No. jeg is only capitalized at the beginning of a sentence (as here). Otherwise it’s lowercase:

  • I dag kom jeg for sent.

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