Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hun arbeider selvstendig hjemme, og sjefen stoler på henne. - She works independently at home, and the boss trusts her.

Subject: Hun arbeider … = She works …
Object: Sjefen stoler på henne = The boss trusts her Related forms:
Possessive: hennes (her/hers)
Reflexive (3rd person): seg (himself/herself/themselves), but only when the object refers back to the subject of the same clause.

Why is it stoler på and not just stoler or stoler til?

The verb is a fixed expression: å stole på (noen/noe) = to trust (someone/something). You cannot drop på, and you don’t use til with this verb.

Correct: Sjefen stoler på henne.
Also common: å ha tillit til (to have confidence in): Sjefen har tillit til henne.
With a clause: å stole på at …: Jeg stoler på at du gjør det.

Are arbeider and jobber interchangeable here?

Yes. Hun arbeider … and Hun jobber … both mean “She works …”.

jobber is more colloquial and very common in speech.
arbeider can feel a bit more formal or bookish in some contexts, but it’s perfectly fine. Note: en arbeider also means “a worker” (noun).

Is selvstendig an adverb here? Why isn’t there an -ly ending?

Norwegian often uses the adjective form adverbially. selvstendig is an adjective (“independent”) that also functions adverbially (“independently”). There’s no -ly ending.

Alternatives: på egen hånd (on her own), uavhengig (independent/independently; slightly more formal).
Don’t confuse with alene (“alone,” without other people), which doesn’t necessarily mean independent.

What’s the difference between hjemme, hjem, and hjemmefra?

hjemme = at home (location/state). Example: Hun er/arbeider hjemme.
hjem = (to) home (movement/direction). Example: Hun går hjem.
hjemmefra = from home (point of origin). Example: Hun jobber hjemmefra (she works from home). If you specifically mean remote work, hjemmefra is often the most precise.

Can I move hjemme to the front? What happens to word order?

Yes: Hjemme arbeider hun selvstendig, og sjefen stoler på henne. Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be in second position. If you front an element (like Hjemme), the verb (arbeider) still comes second, and the subject (hun) follows.

Is the comma before og required?

Yes, it’s standard to place a comma between two independent main clauses: Hun arbeider selvstendig hjemme, og sjefen stoler på henne. If the second part didn’t have its own subject (i.e., the subject was shared), you typically wouldn’t use a comma: Hun arbeider selvstendig hjemme og stoler på sjefen.

Does the present tense arbeider mean “works” or “is working”?

Both. Norwegian present tense covers both habitual and ongoing actions. Context tells you whether it’s general or right now.

General: She works independently at home.
Right now: She is working independently at home.

Why is it sjefen (definite) and not en sjef?

sjefen = “the boss” (definite, a specific boss presumed known in context). en sjef = “a boss” (indefinite, any boss). Forms:

Indefinite singular: en sjef
Definite singular: sjefen
Indefinite plural: sjefer
Definite plural: sjefene

Where would I put ikke (not) in this sentence?

Place ikke after the finite verb in a main clause.

General negation: Hun arbeider ikke selvstendig hjemme.
If you only want to negate the location: Hun arbeider ikke hjemme (men på kontoret).
If you want to negate the manner: Hun arbeider ikke selvstendig (hun trenger oppfølging).

Could it be seg instead of henne?

No. seg is reflexive and refers back to the subject of the same clause. Here, the subject of the second clause is sjefen, and the object is a different person (henne).

If the boss trusts themself: Sjefen stoler på seg selv.
If the boss trusts her (someone else): Sjefen stoler på henne.

Is ho acceptable instead of hun?

In standard Bokmål, use hun (subject) and henne (object). ho is common in many dialects and is standard in Nynorsk (subject form), but don’t mix it into Bokmål unless you are deliberately writing dialect. Object in both standards remains henne.

What’s the difference between selv, selvstendig, and alene?

selv = “self” (emphasis/contrast): Hun gjør det selv (She does it herself).
selvstendig = independent/independently (capable without close supervision).
alene = alone (without other people present). You can be alene without being selvstendig, and vice versa. Also natural: på egen hånd = on one’s own.

Should I say på hjemme or i hjemme?

Neither. hjemme is an adverb meaning “at home,” so you don’t use a preposition with it.

Correct: Hun arbeider hjemme. If you use a noun, you can say i hjemmet (“in the home”), but that’s more formal and often sounds odd in everyday speech here.

How are the tricky words pronounced?

hjemme: initial hj- is pronounced like English “y” → roughly “YEM-meh”.
sjefen: sj- is a “sh”-like sound; sjef sounds like “shef”.
stoler: long “o” (like “stoo-ler”), and final -er is lightly pronounced.
arbeider: the ei is a diphthong like English “eye”: ar-BYE-der.

Can I combine the clauses with fordi (because)?

Yes:

Neutral order: Sjefen stoler på henne fordi hun arbeider selvstendig hjemme.
Fronted subordinate clause (keeps V2 in the main clause): Fordi hun arbeider selvstendig hjemme, stoler sjefen på henne.