Jeg drikker kaffe, derimot drikker hun te.

I

Breakdown of Jeg drikker kaffe, derimot drikker hun te.

• hun: she
• drikke: to drink
• kaffen: the coffee

Questions & Answers about Jeg drikker kaffe, derimot drikker hun te.

Is the comma before derimot correct?

A bare comma between two independent clauses is not recommended in Norwegian. Prefer a semicolon or a period:

• Jeg drikker kaffe; derimot drikker hun te.
• Jeg drikker kaffe. Derimot drikker hun te. If you use men (but), a comma is fine: Jeg drikker kaffe, men hun drikker te.

What is derimot—a conjunction or an adverb?

Derimot is a contrastive sentence adverb meaning “however/on the other hand,” not a coordinating conjunction. It belongs to the second clause and can’t by itself link two clauses the way men does; that’s why you punctuate with a semicolon or a period before it.

Why is it derimot drikker hun, not derimot hun drikker?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb is in second position. When you front an adverbial like derimot, the verb (drikker) must come next, and the subject (hun) follows: Derimot drikker hun te.

Can I just use men instead of derimot?