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Questions & Answers about Jeg forstår faget nå.
What does each word mean in this sentence?
- Jeg = I
- forstår = understand (present tense)
- faget = the subject (definite form of fag)
- nå = now So the whole sentence is: I understand the subject now.
Why does the noun have the ending -et in faget? Where is the word “the”?
Norwegian marks definiteness with a suffix instead of a separate word. Fag is neuter; its definite singular is formed by adding -et: faget = the subject. There is no separate word for “the” in front of the noun in this basic pattern.
What gender is fag, and what are its forms?
Fag is a neuter noun.
- Indefinite singular: et fag (a subject)
- Definite singular: faget (the subject)
- Indefinite plural: fag (subjects)
- Definite plural: fagene (the subjects)
Can I put nå at the beginning? What happens to word order?
Yes. Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule (the finite verb is in second position).
- Neutral: Jeg forstår faget nå.
- Time in front (emphasis on now): Nå forstår jeg faget.
- Object in front (contrastive/topic): Faget forstår jeg nå. Avoid Jeg forstår nå faget in neutral speech; it sounds marked or awkward.
Where does the negation ikke go?
- With a noun object: Jeg forstår ikke faget nå.
- With a pronoun object: Jeg forstår det ikke nå. If you front nå: Nå forstår jeg ikke faget.
Do verbs change with the subject in Norwegian?
No. There is no person or number agreement. It is always forstår: jeg/du/han/hun/vi/dere/de forstår.
How is forstå conjugated? Are there past forms?
- Infinitive: å forstå
- Present: forstår
- Preterite (past): forsto or forstod (both are correct)
- Past participle: forstått
- Present perfect: har forstått (e.g., Nå har jeg forstått faget)
Is forstår the same as skjønner?
Both mean understand, but there is a nuance:
- forstå is neutral/standard and fits academic contexts well: Jeg forstår faget.
- skjønne is more colloquial: Jeg skjønner det. You can say Jeg skjønner faget, but for school subjects or disciplines, forstå often sounds more natural or formal.
Can I just say Jeg forstår det nå?
Yes. Det is a pronoun meaning it/that (referring to something mentioned). Jeg forstår det nå is fine if the context already makes the referent clear. Jeg forstår faget nå explicitly names the subject and is more specific.
Can I say Jeg forstår det faget nå?
Yes, if you mean that subject (as opposed to another one). This uses double definiteness with a demonstrative:
- det faget = that (specific) subject. Use it when you’re distinguishing among several subjects. Without such a contrast, plain faget is more natural.
Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?
- Jeg: commonly pronounced roughly like yai; many say something like [jæi] or [jæ]. The written g is silent.
- forstår: å is a long o-like sound; final r is tapped or trilled depending on dialect.
- faget: hard g; the ending -et is usually pronounced as a schwa-like -e, with the t silent in many dialects.
- nå: long o-like vowel. Stress falls on står in forstår and on the first syllable fa- in faget.
Why isn’t Jeg capitalized like English I?
In Norwegian, personal pronouns are not capitalized unless they start the sentence. So jeg is lowercase. An old-fashioned ultra-formal De/Dem (you) may be capitalized in very formal letters, but that’s rare today.
Is nå the same as expressions like nå for tiden or nå om dagen?
Not exactly:
- nå = right now/at this moment.
- nå for tiden or nå om dagen = these days/nowadays (a general present period).
- nå til dags = nowadays (somewhat formal/old-fashioned).
How would this look in Nynorsk?
Eg forstår faget no. Key differences:
- Eg (I) instead of Jeg.
- no instead of nå.
- Noun forms: eit fag (a subject), faget (the subject), fag (subjects), faga (the subjects).
What is the difference between Jeg forstår faget nå and Nå har jeg forstått faget?
- Jeg forstår faget nå describes a present state: right now, I understand it.
- Nå har jeg forstått faget highlights the completed process/result up to now: I have now come to understand it (implying a recent change or achievement).
Is fag the same as emne or tema?
- fag: a school subject, trade, or academic discipline (math, physics; also a craft).
- emne: a topic/module within a course or a subject matter of a text or discussion.
- tema: theme or overarching topic. So faget fits best for a school subject or field; emnet/temaet would shift the meaning.
Do I need a preposition here, like på or av?
No. forstå takes a direct object. Say forstå faget, not forstå på faget or forstå av faget.