Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Kunden er misfornøyd når leveringen kommer for sent. - The customer is dissatisfied when the delivery arrives too late.

Yes. kunde = customer (indefinite), kunden = the customer (definite). levering = delivery (indefinite), leveringen = the delivery (definite). The -en ending marks the definite singular for common-gender nouns in Bokmål.

If it’s definite, how can this sentence sound generic (like “customers are unhappy when deliveries are late”)?

Norwegian often uses definite singular generically to talk about a type or role, especially in rules/policies: Kunden er misfornøyd når … ≈ “The customer is (in general) unhappy when …”. You can also express the generic idea with plural:

Kundene er misfornøyde når leveringen kommer for sent. (The customers are unhappy …)

Could I move the når-clause to the front?

Yes: Når leveringen kommer for sent, er kunden misfornøyd. Note the comma after the fronted subordinate clause, and the main clause keeps verb-second word order (er in second position).

Why is it når leveringen kommer and not når kommer leveringen?

In subordinate clauses introduced by når, Norwegian uses subject–verb order (SV), not verb-second (V2). So it’s [når] + [subject] + [verb]: når leveringen kommer. V2 applies in main clauses.

Do I need a comma before når here?

No comma when the subordinate clause comes after the main clause: Kunden er misfornøyd når …. Use a comma if the subordinate clause comes first: Når …, er kunden misfornøyd.

What does for sent mean? Is it one word?

for sent = “too late.” It’s two words. for here is an intensifier meaning “too/overly,” not the preposition “for.” Without for, sent just means “late.”

What’s the difference between sent and sen? And what about seint/sein?

sen is the adjective “late” (common gender); sent is the neuter form and also the adverb “late.”
- Jeg er for sen. (I am too late — adjective)
- Toget er for sent. (The train is too late — neuter adjective)
- Leveringen kom for sent. (The delivery arrived too late — adverb)
sein/seint are acceptable alternative spellings in Bokmål (more common in some regions): sein ≈ sen, seint ≈ sent.

Could I use hvis instead of når?

Often, yes. hvis = “if” (condition), når = “when/whenever” (time). Here both can work:

Kunden er misfornøyd hvis leveringen kommer for sent. (conditional rule)
Kunden er misfornøyd når leveringen kommer for sent. (whenever that happens) Nuance: hvis frames it as a condition; når frames it as a time-based/habitual situation.

What’s the difference between når and da?

når = “when/whenever,” used for present/future and for repeated/habitual events in the past.
da = “when,” used for a single, specific event in the past. Examples:
Kunden er misfornøyd når leveringen kommer for sent.
Kunden var misfornøyd da leveringen kom for sent.

Why er misfornøyd and not blir misfornøyd?

Both are possible, with a nuance:

er misfornøyd states a resulting state at that time.
blir misfornøyd emphasizes the change (“becomes unhappy”) when the delivery is late. In many “policy” statements, either is fine; choose blir to stress the reaction.

Is misfornøyd the only way to say “dissatisfied”? What about ikke fornøyd or utilfreds?

misfornøyd is common and direct (“dissatisfied/unhappy”).
ikke fornøyd is a bit softer/neutral (“not satisfied”).
utilfreds is more formal/technical (“dissatisfied”). When specifying what someone is unhappy with, use med: Kunden er misfornøyd med leveringen.

How does misfornøyd inflect?

Indefinite singular: misfornøyd (m/f and neuter; no -t is added)
Plural/definite: misfornøyde Examples:
Kunden er misfornøyd.
Barnet er misfornøyd.
Kundene er misfornøyde.
Den misfornøyde kunden klager. (see “double definite” below)

Why is it leveringen and not leveringa? What’s the gender?

levering is a feminine noun in origin, but in Bokmål you can treat many feminine nouns as common gender:

Masculine/common-gender style: en levering – leveringen
Feminine style: ei levering – leveringa Both are correct in Bokmål; the sentence uses the common-gender style. In many dialects, you’ll hear the feminine forms in speech.

Could I say kommer for sent vs er forsinket?

Both are natural but differ slightly:

kommer for sent highlights the late arrival relative to the expected time.
er forsinket means “is delayed” (state of being delayed), often used while the item is on its way.

Is there a more formal verb than kommer for “arrives”?

Yes, ankommer is more formal: Når leveransen ankommer for sent … However, kommer is the everyday default. Note also leveranse (a delivery/consignment) is a more formal/business-oriented noun than levering.

Can I intensify “too late”?

Yes:

altfor sent = “far too late”
veldig sent = “very late” (not necessarily “too” late)
Without for it’s just “late”: kommer sent

Any pronunciation tips for tricky parts like misfornøyd and leveringen?

ø is a rounded front vowel (like the vowel in French “peur”); the diphthong øy sounds roughly like English “oy” but starting with ø.
In fornøyd, the final d is often very soft or silent.
In leveringen, ng is the velar nasal [ŋ], and r is usually a tapped/flapped sound in Eastern Norwegian.

What is “double definite,” and does it apply here?

Attributive adjectives before a definite noun take “double definite”:

den misfornøyde kunden = “the dissatisfied customer” In predicate position after er/blir, you do not use “den”: Kunden er misfornøyd.