Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hun er i godt humør når alle bidrar. - She is in a good mood when everyone contributes.

Norwegian uses the fixed expression å være i godt humør (“to be in a good mood”). The preposition is i with many states: i form (in shape), i live (alive), i dårlig humør (in a bad mood). An article is normally not used here; i et godt humør is understandable but non-idiomatic in standard Bokmål.

Why is it godt and not god?

Because humør is a neuter noun, and adjectives agree with neuter nouns by adding -t: godt is the neuter singular form of god. The set phrase is godt humør (compare et godt spørsmål).

Could I say Hun er glad instead? What’s the difference?

Yes, but the nuance shifts. Glad = happy/pleased as a general emotion. I godt humør emphasizes being in a good or upbeat mood at that time. Both work, but they don’t always feel interchangeable.

Why use når here and not hvis?

Når = “when/whenever” (time/repeated situation). Your sentence states what regularly happens when that condition is met. Hvis (“if”) makes it more hypothetical: Hun er i godt humør hvis alle bidrar is grammatical but sounds more conditional than temporal.

When would I use da instead of når?

Use da for specific past events: Hun var i godt humør da alle bidro (“was … when …”). Use når for present/future, general truths, and repeated events: Hun er i godt humør når alle bidrar.

Is the comma placement correct? Why no comma before når?

Yes. In modern Norwegian, you usually don’t put a comma before a short subordinate clause that follows the main clause. If the subordinate clause comes first, put a comma after it: Når alle bidrar, er hun i godt humør.

Can I front the når-clause? Does word order change?

Yes: Når alle bidrar, er hun i godt humør. Norwegian main clauses are verb‑second, so after a fronted element you invert subject and verb: er hun, not hun er.

Why is it bidrar and not bidra?

Bidra is the infinitive; present tense adds -r: bidrar. Principal parts: å bidra – bidrar – bidro – (har) bidratt.

Do I need med or til after bidrar?

Not here. Bidra can stand alone for “contribute (in general)”: alle bidrar. Use med for what is contributed: alle bidrar med mat. Use til for the result/effect: alle bidrar til god stemning or … til at hun er i godt humør.

Does alle mean literally everyone? How is it different from alle sammen?

Alle = everyone/all (people). Alle sammen is a bit more emphatic (“all of them, everyone together”) and is fine here too: … når alle sammen bidrar.

Should the verb agree with alle?

No. Norwegian present tense doesn’t mark person or number. So it’s jeg/du/han/hun/vi/dere/de bidrar—same verb form for all.

How do I negate this naturally?

Main clause: place ikke after the verb: Hun er ikke i godt humør når …. Subordinate clause: ikke comes before the verb or the subject, depending on focus. Most natural for “not everyone” is … når ikke alle bidrar. For “no one,” use … når ingen bidrar.

Pronunciation tips?

Approximate: Hun [hʉn] (front, rounded u). er [æːr] or [eːr] depending on accent. i [i]. godt [gɔt] (final t pronounced). humør [hʉˈmøːr] (ø like French “peur”). når [noːr] (å like English “o” in “more”). bidrar [ˈbiːdrɑːr] (stress on first syllable; r is tapped/rolled).

Is there a Nynorsk version?

Yes: Ho er i godt humør når alle bidreg.

Is humør countable? Can I say et humør?

In this meaning it’s typically uncountable and used in set phrases: i godt/dårleg humør. You can use the definite form for “the mood”: Humøret hennes var på topp. Et humør is rare and feels literary/special.

Could I use synonyms for bidrar?

Yes. Common alternatives: hjelper til, trår til, gir en hånd (colloquial). Example: Hun er i godt humør når alle hjelper til.

Why Hun and not Ho?

Hun is standard Bokmål. Ho is Nynorsk and common in certain dialects.

Can I use hver instead of alle?

Not by itself. Hver = “each/every” and typically needs a singular noun: Hver person bidrar (“Each person contributes”). To mean “each one” without a noun, use hver og en (av dem).

Where do adverbs like ofte or alltid go?

In the main clause, place them after the verb: Hun er ofte/alltid i godt humør når alle bidrar. If the subordinate clause comes first: Når alle bidrar, er hun ofte/alltid i godt humør.