Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hvis ikke han svarer, lar jeg kalenderen sende en ny påminnelse. - If he doesn’t answer, I let the calendar send a new reminder.

Both occur, but the most standard and neutral is Hvis han ikke svarer (negation after the subject in a subordinate clause). Hvis ikke han svarer is common in speech and some regions; it’s a bit more informal and can put slight focus on the subject. In careful writing, prefer Hvis han ikke svarer.

Why is it lar jeg and not jeg lar after the comma?

Norwegian main clauses are V2 (the finite verb comes second). When you front a subordinate clause (Hvis …), the finite verb of the main clause moves in front of the subject: Hvis han ikke svarer, lar jeg …. If you begin with the main clause, you get normal order: Jeg lar kalenderen sende … hvis han ikke svarer.

Does the present tense here refer to the future?

Yes. Norwegian often uses the present for scheduled/conditional future: Hvis han ikke svarer, lar jeg … = “If he doesn’t answer, I’ll …”. You could add a future auxiliary for emphasis: Hvis han ikke svarer, skal jeg la kalenderen sende …, but it isn’t required.

Where should ikke go in a clause like this?

Subordinate clause: subject + ikke + finite verb → Hvis han ikke svarer …
Main clause: finite verb + subject (+ …) + ikke → … lar jeg ikke kalenderen … or … svarer han ikke. The variant Hvis ikke han svarer … is informal speech.

Why is it sende (infinitive) and not sender or til å sende after lar?

With la/lar you use a bare infinitive (no å, no conjugation): la/lar + object + infinitive → Jeg lar kalenderen sende …. Don’t say lar kalenderen sender or lar kalenderen til å sende.

What nuance does lar have compared to other options?

la/lar means “let/allow” or “have (someone/something) do.” Alternatives:

få … til å + infinitive: “get/make (someone/something) to” → Jeg får kalenderen til å sende … (cause or manage to make it do it).
skal la: adds clear future intention → … skal jeg la kalenderen sende …. Use la/lar for neutral “let/have.”

Why the definite form kalenderen? Could I say kalenderen min or min kalender?

kalenderen = “the calendar” (definite), implying a specific one (often your app). You can add a possessive:

Postposed (most common): kalenderen min
Preposed (slightly more emphatic/contrastive): min kalender All three are possible; choose based on how specific/possessive you want to be.

Does en ny påminnelse mean “another reminder” or “a new (different) reminder”? How about en til or enda en?

en ny påminnelse: commonly used for “another reminder” (a fresh one). It can also mean “a new/different reminder” by context.
en påminnelse til / enda en påminnelse: explicitly “one more reminder.” If you want to stress “one more of the same,” these are clearest.

What gender is påminnelse, and is ei acceptable?

In Bokmål, påminnelse is common gender. You’ll most often see the masculine article: en påminnelse (definite: påminnelsen). Feminine forms are also permitted in Bokmål: ei påminnelse (definite: påminnelsa), but they are less common in standard written usage.

Could I use om or med mindre instead of hvis?

om han ikke svarer ≈ hvis han ikke svarer (very common, a bit more informal/regional).
med mindre han svarer = “unless he answers,” which flips the polarity. It’s close in meaning to “if he doesn’t answer,” but not identical in logic.

Do I need to add an object after svarer, like svare på noe or svare meg?

Not necessarily. svare can stand without an explicit object when context supplies it: Hvis han ikke svarer … = “If he doesn’t reply.” When specifying:

svare på noe: “reply to something” → svare på e-posten
svare noen: “answer someone” → svare meg/ham

Why is there a comma after the hvis-clause?

Norwegian uses a comma between a fronted subordinate clause and the following main clause: Hvis …, lar jeg …. If the main clause comes first, no comma is needed before the trailing hvis-clause: Jeg lar … hvis …

How would I negate the main clause instead: “If he answers, I won’t let the calendar send …”?

Place ikke after the subject in the main clause (respecting V2): Hvis han svarer, lar jeg ikke kalenderen sende en ny påminnelse.

Can I drop the subject and just say Hvis ikke, lar jeg …?

Yes, as an ellipsis when the subject and verb are obvious from context. Hvis ikke, lar jeg … = “If not, I’ll …” Use it in informal speech or when the referent is clear.