Breakdown of Vi tar hensyn til naboene når vi spiller musikk.
vi
we
spille
to play
musikken
the music
når
when
Questions & Answers about Vi tar hensyn til naboene når vi spiller musikk.
What does the phrase tar hensyn til mean, and is it idiomatic?
It’s a fixed expression meaning “to take into account / to show consideration for.” Literally it’s ta (take) + hensyn (consideration) + til (to), but you should learn it as a unit. Common alternatives:
- vise hensyn (til) = to show consideration (for)
- ta i betraktning = to take into consideration (more formal) You can’t drop or change the preposition here; it’s always ta hensyn til someone/something.
Why is the preposition til used instead of for?
Because ta hensyn til is a set collocation; for would be unidiomatic here. You’ll also see av hensyn til at the start of sentences to mean “out of consideration for,” e.g., Av hensyn til naboene skrur vi ned volumet.
Why is it naboene (the neighbors) and not naboer (neighbors)?
Norwegian often uses the definite form when the reference is specific or understood from context—here, “the neighbors” of the building/area. Naboer would sound like “neighbors in general,” which is not what you mean. Forms:
- singular: en nabo
- plural: naboer
- definite plural: naboene (“the neighbors”)
Can I say “our neighbors”? Where would the possessive go?