Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg vil ikke skjule følelsene mine.

Norwegian vil can also mean will or indicate a future-like meaning, depending on context, but with a verb like skjule and especially with ikke, it is naturally read as want (to) here.

You would not normally translate this as I will not hide my feelings (a firm decision or promise); that would sound more like Jeg skal ikke skjule følelsene mine or Jeg vil ikke skjule følelsene mine, det lover jeg depending on nuance.

Why does ikke come after vil and not before it?

In main clauses in Norwegian, the finite verb (here vil) usually comes in second position (the V2 rule). The negation ikke normally comes right after that finite verb.

So the basic pattern is:

Jeg vil ikke skjule …
- Jeg = subject (1st position)
- vil = finite verb (2nd position)
- ikke = negation after the finite verb

Putting ikke before vil (Jeg ikke vil skjule …) is wrong in standard Norwegian word order.

Why is it skjule and not å skjule?

Skjule is in the infinitive, but with Norwegian modal verbs (like vil, skal, kan, må, bør) you do not use å before the infinitive.

So you say:

Jeg vil skjule følelsene mine.
Jeg kan skjule følelsene mine.
Jeg må skjule følelsene mine.

…but:

Jeg liker å skjule følelsene mine. (here liker is not a modal, so å is used)

So vil … skjule without å is exactly what you want here.

What is the difference between følelser and følelsene?

The noun følelse means feeling. Its main forms in Bokmål are:

en følelse = a feeling (indefinite singular)
følelsen = the feeling (definite singular)
følelser = (some) feelings (indefinite plural)
følelsene = the feelings (definite plural)

In følelsene mine, følelsene is definite plural: the feelings.
So literally, følelsene mine is the feelings of mine, which corresponds to my feelings in English.

Why is the possessive mine at the end (følelsene mine) instead of before the noun (mine følelser)?

Norwegian allows two main positions for possessive pronouns:

Before the noun (preposed):
- mine følelser = my feelings
After the noun, which then takes a definite ending (postposed):
- følelsene mine = literally the feelings mine

Both are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different nuance and usage:

mine følelser is somewhat more neutral/formal or “dictionary-like”.
følelsene mine is very common in spoken Norwegian and often feels a bit more personal, emotional, or specific — closer to my feelings / these feelings of mine.

In this sentence, følelsene mine sounds natural and emotional, which fits the meaning.

Could I say Jeg vil ikke skjule mine følelser instead? Is there a difference?

Yes, Jeg vil ikke skjule mine følelser is grammatically correct.

Difference in feel:

Jeg vil ikke skjule mine følelser
- Preposed possessive (mine følelser)
- Slightly more formal, written, or “neutral”.
Jeg vil ikke skjule følelsene mine
- Postposed possessive (følelsene mine)
- Very natural in speech; sounds more personal and emotionally involved.

Both can be translated as I don’t want to hide my feelings, but følelsene mine often sounds more like my own feelings / these feelings of mine, giving a bit more intimacy or emphasis on my.

Why is it mine and not min or mitt?

Norwegian possessive pronouns agree in number (singular/plural) and gender (for singular) with the noun they refer to. The basic forms are:

min / mi / mitt / mine
- min – masculine (and often feminine in Bokmål) singular
- mi – feminine singular (optional in Bokmål)
- mitt – neuter singular
- mine – plural

Here the noun is følelser/følelsene (plural), so you must use the plural possessive mine:

følelsene mine = my feelings
(singular) følelsen min/mi = my feeling

So plural noun ⇒ mine.

Why can’t I say Jeg vil ikke skjule følelser mine?

With a postposed possessive (like mine after the noun), the noun must be in the definite form.

So the pattern is:

Noun + definite ending + possessive
- følelsene mine (correct)
- boken min (the book of mine)
- vennene våre (the friends of ours)

Følelser mine is wrong because følelser is indefinite plural, but you’re using the possessive after the noun. It must be følelsene mine (definite plural).

Could I leave out mine and just say Jeg vil ikke skjule følelsene?

You can say Jeg vil ikke skjule følelsene, and it is grammatically correct, but the meaning shifts slightly:

Jeg vil ikke skjule følelsene mine
- Clear that these are my feelings.
Jeg vil ikke skjule følelsene
- More like I don’t want to hide the feelings, with the owner understood from context (maybe our feelings, the feelings we talked about, etc.).

Without mine, the possession is not explicit, and in most contexts where you mean my feelings, Norwegians will include the possessive.

How is skjule pronounced, and what sound does skj represent?

Skjule is pronounced roughly like shoo-leh in many standard accents:

skj = like English sh
u = like English oo in food
le = leh, with a short e like in get

So skjule ≈ SHOO-leh.

This skj = sh pronunciation is common in words like skjønn, skjorte, skjule, even though it’s written with skj.

How is følelsene pronounced, and what is the ø sound?

Følelsene is typically pronounced something like FØH-lel-seh-neh. Broken down:

fø – ø is a rounded front vowel, similar to the vowel in French peu or German schön. To approximate it:
- Say eh, then round your lips as if saying o, but keep the tongue where it was for eh.
lelse – roughly LEL-seh, with short e sounds like in English get.
ne – a light neh at the end.

So a rough English-like approximation is FUR-lel-seh-neh, but with ø instead of u/er.