Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hunden bjeffer når postmannen kommer.

en hund = a dog → hunden = the dog
en postmann = a mailman → postmannen = the mailman Plural (for reference):
hunder = dogs → hundene = the dogs
postmenn = mailmen → postmennene = the mailmen

Why are both verbs in the present tense? Shouldn’t it be “is barking” in English?

Norwegian present tense covers both English “barks” and “is barking.” With når (when/whenever), the present here expresses a habitual action: the dog typically barks whenever the mailman comes.

Right now emphasis: Hunden bjeffer nå (The dog is barking now).
Ongoing activity construction exists but is less common: Hunden holder på å bjeffe (the dog is in the process of barking).

Can I put the when-clause first? What happens to word order?

Yes. If you front the subordinate clause, the main clause must invert (V2 rule):

Når postmannen kommer, bjeffer hunden. In main clauses, the finite verb must be in the second position. The fronted clause counts as position 1, so bjeffer comes before hunden.

Why is it når and not da?

når = when/whenever; used for present/future time and for repeated events (also in the past if repeated).
- Hunden bjeffet når postmannen kom (habitual in the past).
da = when (for a single, specific event in the past).
- Hunden bjeffet da postmannen kom (one particular time).

How do I negate this sentence?

Place ikke after the finite verb in a main clause, and before it in a subordinate clause.

Neutral order: Hunden bjeffer ikke når postmannen kommer.
Fronted when-clause (note inversion and adverb placement): Når postmannen kommer, bjeffer ikke hunden.
If you negate inside the when-clause: Hunden bjeffer når postmannen ikke kommer.

Where do adverbs like “always/never/often” go?

In a main clause, they go after the finite verb:
- Hunden bjeffer alltid når postmannen kommer.
- Hunden bjeffer aldri når postmannen kommer.
If the when-clause is first, keep V2:
- Når postmannen kommer, bjeffer hunden alltid.
Inside the subordinate clause, place the adverb before the verb:
- når postmannen ofte kommer / når postmannen aldri kommer

If I want “barks at the mailman,” do I need a preposition?

In your sentence, når postmannen kommer already expresses the trigger. If you explicitly want “at,” you can say:

bjeffe på postmannen (very common, targets the person)
bjeffe mot postmannen (toward, directional nuance) Both are used; på is the most common choice in everyday speech.

Is postmannen gendered? How can I make it gender‑neutral?

Postmann literally means “mailman” and is male-marked. A common gender‑neutral term is postbud (neuter):

et postbud = a mail carrier
postbudet = the mail carrier (definite) You can say: Hunden bjeffer når postbudet kommer.

Could I use the indefinite form instead, like “a mailman”?

Yes, that generalizes the statement:

Hunden bjeffer når en postmann kommer. (The dog barks when a mailman comes—any mailman.) Using the definite (postmannen) often implies “our regular mailman” or a familiar referent in context.

Why is it “når postmannen kommer” and not “når kommer postmannen”?

Because når postmannen kommer is a subordinate clause. In subordinate clauses, Norwegian does not use V2; the subject comes before the verb.
Når kommer postmannen? is a direct question (main clause), so V2 applies there.

Do I need a comma before når?

Main clause + when-clause (your sentence): no comma is needed.
- Hunden bjeffer når postmannen kommer.
When the when-clause comes first, add a comma after it:
- Når postmannen kommer, bjeffer hunden.

Does this sentence have to refer to a specific dog and the regular mailman, or can it be generic?

With both nouns definite (Hunden, postmannen), it most naturally refers to a specific dog and the (known/regular) mailman.
To speak more generally:

En hund bjeffer når en postmann kommer. (A dog… a mailman…)
You could also keep one definite for a more “typical situation” reading, depending on context.

How do I ask “When does the dog bark?” or “Does the dog bark when the mailman comes?”

When-question (V2 in main clause): Når bjeffer hunden?
Yes/no question: Bjeffer hunden når postmannen kommer?

How do you pronounce the sentence?

Approximate Urban East Norwegian:

Hunden: [ˈhʉn.dən] (u = rounded “oo” at the front of the mouth)
bjeffer: [ˈbjefːər] (bj ≈ “byeh”; double f = longer f)
når: [noːr] (long o, like “nor”)
postmannen: [ˈpɔst.manːən]
kommer: [ˈkɔmːər] (double m lengthens the consonant) Rough English-ish: “HOON-den BYEF-fer nor POSST-mahn-nen KOM-mer.”

What are the verb forms for “bark” and “come”?

å bjeffe (to bark): present bjeffer, preterite bjeffet, perfect (supine) bjeffet
å komme (to come): present kommer, preterite kom, perfect (supine) kommet Examples:
Hunden bjeffet da postmannen kom.
Hunden har bjeffet når postmannen har kommet (less common; more natural is to keep it simple unless aspect matters).

Why the double letters (ff in bjeffer, mm in kommer)?

Double consonants signal a short preceding vowel and lengthen the consonant. Spelling often reflects these length contrasts:

bjeffe → bjeffer
komme → kommer Writing a single consonant here would suggest the wrong vowel length.

Could I say “Hunden bjeffer når posten kommer” instead?

Yes, but it means “when the mail arrives,” not specifically “the mailman.”

posten = the mail (or the postal service, also the name of the company).
Your original sentence with postmannen/postbudet refers to the person arriving.