Skjermen er for mørk, så jeg skrur på lampen.

The screen is too dark, so I turn on the lamp.

Breakdown of Skjermen er for mørk, så jeg skrur på lampen.

• jeg: I
• være: to be
• så: so
• skjermen: the screen
• lampen: the lamp
• skru på: to turn on
• for mørk: too dark

Questions & Answers about Skjermen er for mørk, så jeg skrur på lampen.

What does the word in bold mean in for mørk? Is it the same as English “for”?

In for mørk, for means “too” (excessively), not the preposition “for.” So for mørk = “too dark.”

• Stronger emphasis: altfor mørk = “far too dark.”
• The preposition “for” (“for/for the benefit of”) is different: e.g., en gave for deg (“a gift for you”).

Could I say så mørk instead of for mørk?

Different meaning:

• for mørk = “too dark” (excessive, a problem).
• så mørk = “so dark” (degree), often followed by a result clause:
  
  • Skjermen er så mørk at jeg skrur på lampen. = “The screen is so dark that I turn on the lamp.”

Why is it Skjermen with -en at the end?

Norwegian marks definiteness with a suffix.

• en skjerm = “a screen” (indefinite)
• skjermen = “the screen” (definite)
  With a demonstrative (“that/this”), Norwegian uses “double definiteness”:
• den skjermen = “that screen”
• With an adjective: den store skjermen = “that/the big screen”

Why is it mørk and not mørkt or mørke?

Adjectives agree with gender/number in predicative position:

• Masculine/common singular: mørk (Skjermen er mørk.)
• Neuter singular: mørkt (Vinduet er mørkt.)
• Plural (all genders): mørke (Skjermene er mørke.)
  Here, skjerm is masculine/common, so mørk is correct. The intensifier for doesn’t change the endings.

What exactly does så mean here? Is it “then” or “so (therefore)”? Why is the order så jeg skrur… and not så skrur jeg…?

Here så works like English “so/therefore,” linking two main clauses:

• …, så jeg skrur på lampen. = “…, so I turn on the lamp.” (normal subject–verb order after the conjunction)
  If you start a new sentence with Så meaning “Then,” you use inversion (V2):
• Skjermen er for mørk. Så skrur jeg på lampen. = “The screen is too dark. Then I turn on the lamp.”

Is the comma before så required?

Yes, when så connects two independent main clauses, a comma is standard:

• Skjermen er for mørk, så jeg skrur på lampen.
  If you write two sentences instead, you don’t need a comma:
• Skjermen er for mørk. Så skrur jeg på lampen.

Why skrur and not something like “skruer”? What tense is this?

Present tense in Bokmål is typically formed by adding -r to the infinitive. Since the infinitive is å skru, the present is skrur (not “skruer”).

• Infinitive: å skru (på) = “to turn (on)”
• Present: jeg skrur (på) = “I turn/am turning (on)”
• Preterite (past): jeg skrudde (på)
• Past participle: skrudd (på)

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

• skru på: “turn on,” often via a knob/switch; common for devices.
• slå på: very common, general “turn on (power).”
• tenne (no particle): “light/turn on (a light/candle).”
  
  • tenne lyset = “turn on the light.”
    Avoid tenne på here; that means “set fire to.”

Why is it på after skrur? Doesn’t på mean “on (top of)”?

In skru på, på is a verbal particle forming a phrasal verb that means “turn on.” It’s not the spatial “on top of.” Many Norwegian verbs pair with particles this way: slå på, skru av (“turn off”), sette på (“put on/turn on”), etc.

Can I move the particle and say jeg skrur lampen på?

With full noun objects, the most natural order is to keep the particle with the verb: skru på lampen.
With pronouns, you must split: Jeg skrur den på.
So prefer: jeg skrur på lampen, but jeg skrur den på.

Why lampen and not lampa?

In Bokmål, many nouns can be treated as masculine or feminine. lampe can be:

• Masculine: en lampe – lampen
• Feminine: ei lampe – lampa
  Both are correct in Bokmål; choose one style and be consistent in a text. In Nynorsk, the feminine form is standard.

How do I say “turn off,” “turn up,” and “turn down” in this context?

• Turn off: skru av / slå av (e.g., Jeg skrur av lampen.)
• Turn up (brighter/louder): skru opp (e.g., Jeg skrur opp lysstyrken.)
• Turn down (dimmer/softer): skru ned (e.g., Jeg skrur ned lyset.)
  More formal for brightness: øke/redusere lysstyrken; to “dim”: dempe lyset.

Could I say Skjermen er så mørk at jeg skrur på lampen?

Yes. That’s the “so…that” structure: så … at introduces a result clause.

• for mørk states excess directly (“too dark”),
• så mørk at … presents degree leading to a consequence (“so dark that …”).

How does this compare to using derfor or fordi?

• …, så … = “…, so …/therefore …” (coordinating conjunction)
• Two sentences with an adverb: Skjermen er for mørk. Derfor skrur jeg på lampen. (V2: Derfor skrur jeg …)
• Subordinate clause with “because”: Jeg skrur på lampen fordi skjermen er for mørk.
  If the “because”-clause comes first: Fordi skjermen er for mørk, skrur jeg på lampen. (V2 in the main clause)

How would I say this in the past?

• Skjermen var for mørk, så jeg skrudde på lampen.
  Key forms: er → var; skrur → skrudde.

How do you pronounce the tricky parts?

Approximate pronunciations (Eastern Norwegian):

• Skjermen: “SHARE-men” (skj = English “sh”; r is tapped; e like in “air”)
• mørk: “mœrk” (ø like French “peur”; r tapped; k hard)
• så: “soh” (long o)
• jeg: often “yai” or “jæi”
• skrur: “skroor” with a fronted u (like German “ü”); r tapped
• lampen: “LAHM-pen” (a as in “father”)