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Breakdown of Jeg kan skaffe billetter i kveld; Anna foreslår at vi kjøper dem i appen, og jeg setter pris på hjelpen.
jeg
I
Anna
Anna
vi
we
i
in
og
and
kjøpe
to buy
kunne
can
at
that
dem
them
kvelden
the evening
billetten
the ticket
hjelpen
the help
appen
the app
foreslå
to suggest
skaffe
to get
sette pris på
to appreciate
Questions & Answers about Jeg kan skaffe billetter i kveld; Anna foreslår at vi kjøper dem i appen, og jeg setter pris på hjelpen.
Where can I put the time expression i kveld in this sentence?
Most neutral is at the end: Jeg kan skaffe billetter i kveld.
To emphasize the time, front it and keep the verb second (V2): I kveld kan jeg skaffe billetter.
You can also put it mid‑field: Jeg kan i kveld skaffe billetter, which is grammatical but a bit more formal/bookish.
Why is there no å after kan in kan skaffe?
Modal verbs in Norwegian take a bare infinitive: kan/skal/må/vil/bør + [infinitive]. So it’s kan skaffe, not kan å skaffe.
What’s the nuance of skaffe versus kjøpe, få tak i, and ordne/fikse?
- skaffe (billetter) = get/procure, by any means (buying, asking, using contacts).
- kjøpe (billetter) = buy specifically.
- få tak i (billetter) = get hold of, often when it’s difficult.
- ordne/fikse billetter = arrange/fix tickets (colloquial).
Why is it billetter and not billettene?
It’s the indefinite plural because the tickets are not already identified. Use the definite plural billettene when both speakers know exactly which tickets are meant. Forms (Bokmål): en billett – billetten – billetter – billettene.
Do I need at after foreslår? Why not use an infinitive?
With a full clause, you need at: Anna foreslår at vi kjøper ….
You can use an infinitive only if the understood subject of the action is the same as the main clause subject: Anna foreslår å kjøpe dem i appen (= she suggests buying them herself). If she suggests that “we” buy them, use at + finite verb.
What’s the word order inside the at‑clause, and where would ikke go?
No V2 inside subordinate clauses: at vi kjøper dem i appen (Subject–Verb–Object–Adverbials).
Negation and most adverbs come before the verb: at vi ikke kjøper dem i appen.
Why is it dem and not de?
De is the subject form (they); dem is the object form (them). Here it’s the object of kjøper, so dem is required. In speech many dialects pronounce both as “de,” but in writing you should keep de/dem distinct.
How do I choose between den, det, and dem when replacing a noun?
Match number and gender:
- Singular masculine/feminine: en billett → den (e.g., Vi kjøper den i appen).
- Singular neuter: et program → det.
- Plural (any gender): billetter → dem.
Why i appen and not på appen? And why the definite appen?
For software you’re “inside” the app, so i appen is standard; på appen occurs regionally/colloquially. You can also say via appen if you mean “through the app.” The definite form appen signals a specific app both parties know; i en app would mean “in an app (unspecified).” Forms: en app – appen – apper – appene.
Is the semicolon here normal in Norwegian? Could I just use a period?
Yes, the semicolon correctly separates two closely related main clauses. A period would also be fine: … i kveld. Anna foreslår …. The semicolon is less common in everyday Norwegian but perfectly acceptable stylistically.
Why is there a comma before og?
Because og is linking two main clauses: Anna foreslår …, og jeg setter pris …. You normally don’t use a comma before og when it links parts within the same clause (e.g., two verbs or two objects).
What exactly does sette pris på mean, and how do I use it?
It’s an idiom meaning “to appreciate/value,” not literally “to set a price on.” It takes a noun or a clause:
- Jeg setter (stor) pris på hjelpen.
- Jeg setter pris på at du hjelper.
- Det setter jeg pris på. (using det as a placeholder)
Why is it hjelpen (definite) and not just hjelp?
You’re referring to specific help in this context, so the definite is natural: hjelpen (“the help” rendered). Bare hjelp is more generic/quantitative (e.g., trenger hjelp). Note: hjelp can be masculine or feminine in Bokmål: hjelpen / hjelpa.
Why present tense (foreslår, kjøper) for something that will happen later?
Norwegian commonly uses the present for scheduled/near‑future events, especially with a time expression: i kveld. You could say Anna foreslår at vi skal kjøpe dem, but that leans toward “suggests that we should/will,” and … at vi kjøper is more idiomatic after foreslår.
How do I conjugate foreslå and sette?
- foreslå: foreslår (present), foreslo (preterite), har foreslått (perfect).
- sette (pris på): setter (present), satte (preterite), har satt (perfect).
Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky words here?
- Jeg ≈ “yai”/“jæi” (often “je” in Eastern speech).
- kjøper: kj like the German “ich” sound [ç]; ø like French “eu” in “peur.”
- hjelpen: initial hj is pronounced [j] (“yel-pen”).
- kveld: kv as in English “kv-”, short e, clear l.
- billetter: stress on the second syllable: bi-LET-ter.
Can I drop the second jeg and just write …, og setter pris på hjelpen?
No in standard writing—you need a subject in the second main clause: …, og jeg setter pris på hjelpen. Dropping jeg here sounds like note‑taking or very casual speech.
Is ikveld one word?
No. In Bokmål it’s two words: i kveld. Same with i dag, i morgen, i går (not “idag,” “imorgen,” “igår”).
Could I say Jeg skaffer/skal skaffe billetter i kveld instead of kan skaffe? What’s the difference?
- Jeg kan skaffe … = I’m able to / it’s possible for me to get them.
- Jeg skaffer … = I will do it (statement of intention).
- Jeg skal skaffe … = I’m going to / I’m committed to doing it (plan/promise).
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