Barna blir mer selvstendige når de gjør leksene regelmessig.

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Questions & Answers about Barna blir mer selvstendige når de gjør leksene regelmessig.

Why is it Barna and not barn?
  • barn is a neuter noun with these forms:
    • et barn = a child (singular, indefinite)
    • barnet = the child (singular, definite)
    • barn = children (plural, indefinite)
    • barna = the children (plural, definite)
  • The sentence talks about a specific or known group of children, so it uses the definite plural barna.
What does blir do here? Why not er?
  • blir (from å bli) means “become,” expressing change or development.
  • er states a current state. Compare:
    • Barna er selvstendige = The children are independent (state)
    • Barna blir mer selvstendige = The children become more independent (change)
Why not vil bli for “will become”?
  • Norwegian often uses the present (blir) for general truths/habits and cause–effect statements.
  • vil bli is possible but emphasizes a prediction or intention. Here, blir sounds more like a general rule.
Why mer and not flere?
  • mer modifies adjectives and adverbs (more independent, more quickly).
  • flere modifies countable nouns (more children = flere barn).
  • Since selvstendig is an adjective, use mer.
Why does selvstendige end in -e?
  • Predicate adjectives agree in number: with a plural subject (barna), add -e → selvstendige.
  • Predicate adjectives do not take the definite ending; they use the indefinite plural form after verbs like er/blir: Barna er/Blir selvstendige.
Could I say selvstendigere?
  • You’ll occasionally see selvstendigere, but the natural, standard comparative is periphrastic: mer selvstendig(e).
  • Prefer mer selvstendige with plural subjects.
Why use når and not da?
  • når = when/whenever for present/future and repeated or habitual situations.
  • da = when for a specific event in the past.
    • Når de gjør leksene… (whenever/when they do their homework)
    • Da de gjorde leksene… (when they did their homework — one past occasion)
Could I use hvis instead of når?
  • Yes: Hvis de gjør leksene regelmessig… = If they do their homework regularly…
  • når emphasizes time/whenever (often implying a general rule); hvis emphasizes a condition.
Why is it når de gjør and not når gjør de?
  • In subordinate clauses (introduced by når, hvis, fordi, etc.), the word order is Subject–Verb: når de gjør.
  • Når gjør de …? is only used in a direct question meaning “When do they …?”
Where would ikke go if I wanted to negate the clause?
  • In the subordinate clause: når de ikke gjør leksene … (Subject + ikke + Verb).
  • In a main clause: De gjør ikke leksene … (Verb in 2nd position, then ikke).
Why gjør (lekser/leksene) and not leser (leksene)?
  • The set phrase is å gjøre lekser = to do homework.
  • å lese is “to read/study,” used in contexts like å lese til eksamen (study for an exam), not for “doing homework” in general.
Why is it leksene (definite plural)? Can I say lekser or leksene sine?
  • All are possible, with nuance:
    • gjør lekser = do homework (in general).
    • gjør leksene = do the (assigned) homework; the set of tasks is understood as specific/known.
    • gjør leksene sine = do their own homework (reflexive possessive; clarifies ownership by the subject).
  • In everyday speech, omitting sine is common when context makes the possessor obvious.
Is the punctuation right with no comma before når?
  • Yes. When the subordinate clause follows the main clause, you normally don’t put a comma before når: Barna blir … når de …
  • If you front the subordinate clause, add a comma after it: Når de gjør leksene regelmessig, blir barna mer selvstendige.
Why doesn’t the adverb have a -t: regelmessig, not regelmessigt?
  • Adjectives ending in -ig, -lig, or -sk do not take -t in the adverb form. The adverb is identical to the adjective: regelmessig, rolig, vanlig.
Can I move regelmessig earlier in the clause?
  • Yes. Both are fine:
    • når de gjør leksene regelmessig
    • når de regelmessig gjør leksene
  • The first is very common; the second slightly foregrounds the adverb. Both are idiomatic.