Vi rekker knapt bussen.

We barely catch the bus.

Breakdown of Vi rekker knapt bussen.

• vi: we
• bussen: the bus
• rekke: to catch
• knapt: barely

Questions & Answers about Vi rekker knapt bussen.

What does the verb rekke mean here, and what else can it mean?

Here rekke means “to make/catch (in time),” as in being in time for something scheduled. It has other meanings too:

• to physically reach: Jeg rekker ikke hylla. (I can’t reach the shelf.)
• to hand/pass: Kan du rekke meg saltet? (Can you pass me the salt?)
• to have time to do something: Jeg rekker å spise. (I have time to eat.)

How do you conjugate rekke?

It’s irregular:

• infinitive: å rekke
• present: rekker
• preterite (past): rakk
• past participle: rukket
• present perfect: har rukket Example: Vi rakk så vidt bussen. / Vi har så vidt rukket bussen.

Why is knapt placed after the verb (Vi rekker knapt bussen)?

In main clauses, sentence adverbs (like ikke, aldri, ofte, kanskje, knapt) normally come after the finite verb. So: Subject + finite verb + sentence adverb + the rest. Hence: Vi (subject) rekker (finite verb) knapt (adverb) bussen (object).

Can I say Vi knapt rekker bussen?

No, not in a main clause. The adverb should follow the finite verb: Vi rekker knapt bussen.

Where does knapt go in a subordinate clause?

In subordinate clauses, sentence adverbs come before the finite verb:

• … at vi knapt rekker bussen. (… that we barely make the bus.) Compare main clause: Vi rekker knapt bussen.

How does pronoun placement work with knapt? Can I say Vi rekker den knapt?

Yes. Object pronouns usually come before sentence adverbs:

• With a full noun: Vi rekker knapt bussen.
• With a pronoun: Vi rekker den knapt. / Vi rekker det knapt. Saying Vi rekker knapt den is generally odd unless used for special contrastive emphasis.

Why is it bussen (definite) and not en buss (indefinite)?

You’re talking about a specific, known bus (e.g., the one that’s about to depart). In Norwegian you mark that specificity with the definite form: bussen. En buss would mean “a bus (any bus),” which doesn’t fit the usual “catch the bus” context.

What’s the difference between knapt, nesten, så vidt, and akkurat?

• knapt = barely/hardly (you do make it, but only just).
• så vidt = just/barely (very close to knapt, very common).
• akkurat = just exactly, “by a hair,” but without the “hardly” tone.
• nesten = almost (usually implies it did not happen).
  Examples:
• Vi rakk knapt/så vidt/akkurat bussen. (We barely/just made the bus.)
• Vi rakk nesten bussen. (We almost made the bus — but didn’t.)

Is knapt nok different from knapt?

They’re very close. Knapt nok can feel a bit stronger or more emphatic than plain knapt:

• Vi rekker knapt bussen.
• Vi rekker knapt nok bussen. (even more “barely”)

Can I use the present tense rekker for the near future?

Yes. Norwegian often uses the present for scheduled/near-future events:

• Bussen går om to minutter; vi rekker knapt bussen.
  You can also say: Vi kommer knapt til å rekke bussen. (We will hardly make the bus), which is a bit more predictive/speculative.

How do I say this in the past or with the perfect?

• Preterite: Vi rakk knapt bussen. (We barely made the bus.)
• Present perfect: Vi har knapt rukket bussen. or more idiomatically Vi har så vidt rukket bussen.

Can I use rekke with an infinitive, like “barely have time to do X”?

Yes: å rekke å + infinitive = to have time to do something.

• Vi rekker knapt å kjøpe billetter. (We barely have time to buy tickets.)
• Jeg rakk ikke å spise. (I didn’t have time to eat.)

Is ta bussen interchangeable with rekke bussen?

No.

• ta bussen = take the bus (mode of transport).
• rekke bussen = make/catch the bus (be in time for it).
  You can say: Vi rekker knapt å ta bussen only if you mean “We barely have time to take the bus (at all).”

Can I front the object for emphasis: Bussen rekker vi knapt?

Yes. Norwegian allows topicalization (V2 still applies):

• Bussen rekker vi knapt. (The bus, we’ll barely make.)
  This is stylistic/emphatic; the neutral order is Vi rekker knapt bussen.

Could the sentence mean “We can barely reach the bus (physically)”?

Normally no; with bussen as object, rekke is understood as “make/catch (in time).” For physical reach you’d usually specify: Vi rekker så vidt bort til bussen (We can barely get over to the bus) or Vi rekker ikke bort.

How does negation interact with these adverbs?

• Vi rekker ikke bussen. (We don’t make the bus.)
• Vi rekker nesten ikke bussen. (We almost don’t make the bus, but we probably do.)
• Vi rekker knapt bussen. (We do make it, but barely.)
• With a pronoun: Vi rekker den ikke / nesten ikke / knapt.

Any quick pronunciation tips?

• rekker: short e like in “bed”; the double k makes the consonant short-and-sharp; r is trilled/tapped.
• knapt: pronounce the p and t clearly; the k+n cluster is both sounded.
• bussen: u like “oo” in “book”; double s gives a strong s: BUS-sen.

Can rekke be used with times/deadlines?

Yes. It means “make (it) by [time]”:

• Jeg rekker klokka tre. (I can make it by three o’clock.)
• Vi rekker knapt fristen. (We’ll barely make the deadline.)