Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hun var spent i morges og skrudde på telefonen tidlig for å se meldingen. - She was excited this morning and turned on the phone early to see the message.

In Norwegian, spent means “excited,” “eager,” or sometimes “nervous/tense.” It’s a false friend with English “spent.” You’ll also see the pattern spent på + noun/verb: Jeg er spent på resultatet = “I’m excited/curious about the result.”

Why is it i morges and not i morgen?

i morges = “this morning” (earlier today, same calendar day).
i morgen = “tomorrow.”
Alternatives you’ll hear: i dag tidlig (“early today”) and i går morges (“yesterday morning”). Use i morges only when referring to the morning of the current day.

Can I say tidlig i morges instead?

Yes. You could write: Hun var spent og skrudde på telefonen tidlig i morges for å se meldingen. Grouping the time words often sounds natural. Another natural variant is I morges var hun spent og skrudde på telefonen tidlig …

Is the word order with the time expression okay? What about the V2 rule?

Yes. Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule (the finite verb is in second position). So:

I morges var hun spent … (time adverbial first, then the verb)
Hun var spent i morges … (subject first, then the verb) Both are correct.

Why is there no comma before og?

In Norwegian you normally don’t put a comma before og when it links two predicates/clauses that share the same subject. Here, Hun is the subject of both var and skrudde, so no comma is needed.

What’s the difference between skru på and slå på?

Both can mean “turn on” (a device). Traditionally skru på suggests using a knob/turning motion, but today both are widely used with electronics. For a phone, slå på telefonen is very common, but skru på telefonen is also fine.

Is skrudde på telefonen the only possible word order?

No. With particle verbs like skru på:

With a full noun, both orders occur: skrudde på telefonen (very common) and skrudde telefonen på (also idiomatic).
With pronouns, the typical order is verb + pronoun + particle: Skru den på. You’ll also hear Skru på den, often with a bit more emphasis on “that one.”

What tense and forms are used for å skru?

Infinitive: å skru
Present: skrur
Preterite: skrudde
Past participle: har skrudd Example: I går skrudde jeg på TV-en. / TV-en er skrudd på.

Why is it for å se and not just å se?

for å marks purpose (“in order to”). Without for, å se would be an infinitive complement to some other verb, not a purpose clause. Compare:

Hun skrudde på telefonen for å se meldingen. (purpose)
Hun begynte å se på TV. (complement to “begynte”)

Could I use for at instead of for å?

Use for at when you want a full clause with its own subject and finite verb: Hun skrudde på telefonen for at hun skulle se meldingen. That’s grammatical but heavier; when the subject is the same, for å + infinitive is preferred.

Why is it the definite form meldingen and not en melding?

Norwegian marks definiteness on the noun: melding (message) → meldingen (the message). We use the definite because a specific, expected message is meant. With an adjective you need double definiteness: den viktige meldingen (“the important message”).

Should it be se, se på, lese, or sjekke with melding?

All can work, with slight nuances:

se meldingen = see/check whether the message is there.
se på meldingen = look at the message (focus on the act of looking).
lese meldingen = read its contents.
sjekke meldingen = check the message (very common in everyday speech).

Is the placement of tidlig okay? Could it go elsewhere?

Yes. You can say:

… skrudde på telefonen tidlig … (very natural)
… skrudde tidlig på telefonen … (also acceptable; adverbs can go between verb and particle) Often, putting time adverbs together (tidlig i morges) reads smoothly.

Can I repeat the subject after og, like og hun skrudde …?

Yes. Both … og skrudde … and … og hun skrudde … are fine. Repeating hun can add clarity or emphasis, especially in longer sentences.

Is telefonen the best word for a mobile phone? What about mobilen?

Both are fine. telefonen is general; mobilen specifically means “the mobile (phone)” and is very common in everyday speech: skrudde på mobilen.