Grunnen er at vi ikke rekker bussen.

The reason is that we will not catch the bus.

Breakdown of Grunnen er at vi ikke rekker bussen.

• være: to be
• vi: we
• at: that
• ikke: not
• bussen: the bus
• rekke: to catch
• grunnen: the reason

Questions & Answers about Grunnen er at vi ikke rekker bussen.

What exactly does the verb rekker mean here?

It means “to make it in time / to catch.” With transport it’s the standard verb for making a departure.

• Example: Vi rekker bussen. = We’ll make/catch the bus.
• It can also mean “have time (to do something),” e.g., Rekker du å spise? = Do you have time to eat?
• For physically “reach” a thing/place, Norwegian typically uses å nå (e.g., Jeg når ikke hylla = I can’t reach the shelf).

Why is ikke placed before rekker in …at vi ikke rekker bussen?

Because it’s a subordinate clause introduced by at. In subordinate clauses, the normal order is Subject – adverb (like ikke) – finite verb:

• Subordinate: Jeg tror at vi ikke rekker bussen.
• Main clause (V2 rule): Vi rekker ikke bussen.

Can I say Grunnen er fordi …?

No. Use either:

• Grunnen er at … (The reason is that …), or
• Det er fordi … (It’s because …) but not both together. Grunnen er fordi … is considered wrong/awkward in standard Norwegian.

Why is it bussen and not buss?

Norwegian marks definiteness with a suffix. For masculine nouns:

• en buss = a bus (indefinite)
• bussen = the bus (definite) You use the definite because you’re referring to a specific bus (e.g., the one you intend to catch).

Could I say …ikke rekker en buss?

Normally no. That sounds odd unless you mean “won’t make any bus at all,” in which case you’d say:

• …ikke rekker noen buss or …rekker ingen buss. For the specific scheduled bus, use the definite: …rekker ikke bussen.

Why is the present tense (rekker) used to talk about the future?

Norwegian often uses the present for near-future or scheduled events. You can make the futurity explicit if you want:

• Neutral prediction: …ikke kommer til å rekke bussen.
• Plan/intention: …ikke skal rekke bussen (unusual idea here: “plan not to make it”).
• vil is used less for future than in English and can imply willingness.

What’s the difference between at and å, and can I drop at like English “that”?

• at = “that” (introduces a clause): Grunnen er at vi … You cannot omit it in Norwegian.
• å = “to” (infinitive marker): å rekke. So Grunnen er vi ikke rekker bussen is ungrammatical; you need at.

Could I say …vi når ikke bussen instead of …vi ikke rekker bussen?

That’s not idiomatic. å nå means “to reach/achieve” (e.g., nå toppen, nå målet). For catching a bus in time, use å rekke.

How do I say “miss the bus” in Norwegian?

• Most common: å miste bussen.
• Also common: å gå glipp av bussen (to miss out on the bus).
• å misse bussen is informal/colloquial; prefer miste.

Is there a synonym for grunnen? What about årsaken?

Yes. Årsaken is a near-synonym and a bit more formal:

• Årsaken er at vi ikke rekker bussen. You can also use: Grunnen til at vi ikke rekker bussen er … (if you continue the sentence).

Why not Vi ikke rekker bussen as a standalone sentence?

Main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be in second position. So:

• Correct: Vi rekker ikke bussen.
• If something else is fronted, the verb is still second: I dag rekker vi ikke bussen.

Where does ikke go if there’s a modal or auxiliary in the subordinate clause?

Before the first (finite) verb:

• …at vi ikke kan rekke bussen.
• …at vi ikke har rukket bussen. General pattern: Subject – adverbs (time/negation) – finite verb – non-finite verb(s) – objects.

What are the principal parts of å rekke?

• Infinitive: å rekke
• Present: rekker
• Preterite: rakk
• Past participle: har rukket Examples: Jeg rakk det ikke. / Har du rukket å spise?

How would this look in Nynorsk?

Grunnen er at vi ikkje rekk bussen. (ikkje = ikke; rekk = rekker)