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Questions & Answers about Oppvasken står på bordet.
What exactly does bold Oppvasken bold refer to here—“the dishes” or “the act of washing dishes”?
It means “the washing up / the dirty dishes” as a collective, not the activity. In everyday speech bold oppvasken bold most naturally corresponds to “the dishes (that need doing).”
Why is the definite form used (bold oppvasken bold) instead of the indefinite (bold oppvask bold)?
Because we’re talking about a specific, known set of dishes. If you want to introduce the existence of some dishes on the table (indefinite), Norwegian typically uses an expletive subject:
- Bold Det står oppvask på bordet. bold = “There are (some) dishes on the table.”
Why use bold står bold instead of the simple verb bold er bold for location?
Norwegian prefers “posture” verbs for location: bold stå bold (stand), bold ligge bold (lie), bold sitte bold (sit). Bold Oppvasken står bold adds a physical orientation nuance—think of items standing/upright or a pile that “stands.” Bold Oppvasken er på bordet bold is understandable but less idiomatic and less descriptive.
Could I use bold ligger bold instead of bold står bold?
Yes, if the items are understood as lying flat. For example:
- Bold Glassene står på bordet. bold (glasses “stand”)
- Bold Tallerkenene ligger på bordet. bold (plates “lie”) With the collective bold oppvasken bold, bold står bold is common because it’s a mixed pile; bold ligger bold wouldn’t be wrong if you imagine it lying flat, but it’s less typical.
What’s the difference between bold på bordet bold, bold ved bordet bold, and bold i bordet bold?
- Bold på bordet bold = on the surface of the table.
- Bold ved bordet bold = by/near the table (not on it).
- Bold i bordet bold = in the table (e.g., a drawer or a hole in the table) and is rarely relevant.
Why does bold bordet bold end with -et?
Because bold bord bold is a neuter noun. Its forms are:
- Indefinite singular: bold et bord bold
- Definite singular: bold bordet bold
- Indefinite plural: bold bord bold
- Definite plural: bold bordene bold
Can I front the place phrase and say bold På bordet står oppvasken bold?
Yes. That’s a natural topicalization meaning “On the table is the dishes” (with emphasis on location). It respects the verb‑second rule: fronted element → finite verb → subject.
Where does bold ikke bold go for negation?
- Neutral word order: bold Oppvasken står ikke på bordet. bold (subject–verb–ikke)
- With fronting: bold På bordet står oppvasken ikke. bold If you want to negate specifically the subject (“not the dishes”), put bold ikke bold right before it:
- Bold På bordet står ikke oppvasken, men glassene. bold
How do I make a yes/no question?
Invert subject and verb:
- Statement: bold Oppvasken står på bordet. bold
- Question: bold Står oppvasken på bordet? bold Using bold er bold is possible but less specific: bold Er oppvasken på bordet? bold
How would I replace the nouns with pronouns?
- bold Oppvasken bold (masculine) → bold den bold: bold Den står på bordet. bold
- bold bordet bold (neuter) → bold det bold: bold Den står på det. bold (though you’d normally keep the place phrase explicit: bold på bordet bold)
What’s the difference between bold Det er oppvask på bordet bold and bold Det står oppvask på bordet bold?
- Bold Det er … bold states existence: “There is (some) dishes on the table.”
- Bold Det står … bold adds posture/arrangement: “There are dishes standing (there),” which can imply a noticeable pile or arrangement.
How does bold stå bold conjugate?
- Present: bold står bold
- Preterite (past): bold sto bold or bold stod bold (both accepted in Bokmål; bold sto bold is more common; Nynorsk: bold stod bold)
- Past participle: bold stått bold Example: bold I går sto/stod oppvasken på bordet. bold; bold Oppvasken har stått på bordet hele dagen. bold
Are Norwegian nouns capitalized like in German? Why is bold Oppvasken bold capitalized here?
Norwegian does not capitalize common nouns. bold Oppvasken bold is capitalized only because it begins the sentence. Elsewhere it would be bold oppvasken bold.
Can I say bold på et bord bold instead of bold på bordet bold?
Yes, if you mean “on a/one table” (non‑specific): bold Oppvasken står på et bord. bold The original bold på bordet bold points to a specific, known table.