Som tenåring var jeg ofte ikke så tålmodig, men nå er jeg mer tålmodig.

As a teenager I was often not so patient, but now I am more patient.

Breakdown of Som tenåring var jeg ofte ikke så tålmodig, men nå er jeg mer tålmodig.

• jeg: I
• være: to be
• nå: now
• men: but
• ikke: not
• så: so
• ofte: often
• mer: more
• som: as
• tålmodig: patient
• tenåringen: the teenager

Questions & Answers about Som tenåring var jeg ofte ikke så tålmodig, men nå er jeg mer tålmodig.

Why is there no article before tenåring in Som tenåring? In English we would say “as a teenager”.

Norwegian often leaves out the article when you talk about a role, status, or identity in a general way:

• Som tenåring = as a teenager
• Som barn = as a child
• Som lærer = as a teacher

You’re describing what you were in general, not referring to a specific, individual teenager, so no en is used.

What exactly does Som tenåring mean, and how is som being used here?

Here som means as (in the sense of “in the role/status of”):

• Som tenåring var jeg … = As a teenager, I was …

This is different from som meaning who/that/which in relative clauses (e.g. mannen som bor her = the man who lives here).
In this sentence, som introduces a time/role phrase that sets the scene: when I was a teenager / in my teenage years.

Why is it Som tenåring var jeg … and not Som tenåring jeg var …?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb (here var) must be in second position in the sentence.

1. First position: Som tenåring (an adverbial phrase moved to the front)
2. Second position: var (the verb)
3. Then the subject: jeg

So:

• ✅ Som tenåring var jeg ofte ikke så tålmodig …
• ❌ Som tenåring jeg var ofte ikke så tålmodig … (breaks the V2 rule)

What is the difference between ofte ikke and ikke ofte, and why is it ofte ikke så tålmodig here?

The order of ofte (often) and ikke (not) changes the meaning:

• ofte ikke = often not

  • Jeg var ofte ikke så tålmodig.
    = I was often not very patient.
    (Many situations where I lacked patience.)

• ikke ofte = not often

  • Jeg var ikke ofte så tålmodig.
    = I was not often so patient.
    (Being very patient was rare.)

In the sentence, ofte ikke så tålmodig emphasizes that frequently he/she lacked patience, which fits the idea of being an impatient teenager.

Why is ikke placed before så tålmodig? Could it be placed somewhere else?

Ikke normally comes:

• After the finite verb: var jeg ikke …
• Before the part it directly negates.

Here we have:

• var (verb)
• jeg (subject)
• ofte (frequency adverb)
• ikke (negation)
• så tålmodig (adjective phrase)

So ikke is negating så tålmodig (so patient):
ofte ikke så tålmodig = often not so patient / not very patient.

You could say:

• Jeg var ofte ikke så tålmodig. (neutral)
• Jeg var ikke så ofte tålmodig. (I was not patient so often – changes the meaning to “I wasn’t patient very often”.)

Why is it så tålmodig and not veldig tålmodig? What’s the nuance?

Both are possible, but they feel a bit different:

• så tålmodig

  • Literally so patient, but very often used like “very patient” in everyday speech.
  • Often slightly softer or more colloquial.

• veldig tålmodig

  • More straightforward “very patient”.
  • Slightly stronger / more emphatic in many contexts.

In ikke så tålmodig, it’s almost a mild understatement: not that patient / not very patient, which sounds natural and a bit softer than ikke veldig tålmodig.

Why is it mer tålmodig and not tålmodigere? Are both correct?

For many adjectives, Norwegian allows two ways to form the comparative:

• With -ere: tålmodigere
• With mer: mer tålmodig

For tålmodig, the most common and natural form is mer tålmodig.
tålmodigere is understandable and not impossible, but it sounds less idiomatic and is rarely used.

So:

• ✅ nå er jeg mer tålmodig (normal)
• ❓ nå er jeg tålmodigere (unusual / marked)

Why is it men nå er jeg mer tålmodig instead of men jeg er mer tålmodig nå? Are both correct?

Both are grammatically correct. The difference is focus and rhythm:

• men nå er jeg mer tålmodig

  • Puts nå at the start for emphasis: but now I am more patient (contrast with the past).
  • Still follows V2: nå (1st), er (2nd), jeg (3rd).

• men jeg er mer tålmodig nå

  • More neutral; the word nå is just added at the end as extra information.
  • The contrast with the past is a bit less highlighted.

In this context, men nå er jeg mer tålmodig nicely underlines the before vs now contrast.

Is the comma before men necessary in …, men nå er jeg mer tålmodig?

Yes, that comma is standard and expected in written Norwegian.

men is a coordinating conjunction joining two independent clauses:

1. Som tenåring var jeg ofte ikke så tålmodig
2. nå er jeg mer tålmodig

You normally put a comma before men when it connects two full clauses:

• Jeg var trøtt, men jeg jobbet videre.
• Han ville dra, men hun ville bli.

Could I also say Da jeg var tenåring, var jeg ofte ikke så tålmodig? How is that different from Som tenåring var jeg …?

Yes, you can:

• Som tenåring var jeg ofte ikke så tålmodig …
• Da jeg var tenåring, var jeg ofte ikke så tålmodig …

Both are natural and mean almost the same, but:

• Som tenåring focuses a bit more on your role/phase in life (“in my teenage years”).
• Da jeg var tenåring is more explicitly time-based (“when I was a teenager”).

In everyday speech, both sound fine here; the difference is subtle.

Why is the simple past var used, instead of something like pleide å være to say “I used to be”?

Norwegian often uses simple past for habitual actions/states in the past, where English uses used to:

• Som tenåring var jeg ofte ikke så tålmodig.
  = As a teenager, I was often not very patient / I used to not be very patient.

You can say:

• Som tenåring pleide jeg ikke å være så tålmodig.

but pleide å være is usually reserved for more clearly repeated actions/habits, and here the adverb ofte already gives the idea of habit.
So var + ofte is the most natural and compact way.

What gender is tenåring, and how do you use it in singular and plural?

tenåring is a masculine noun (can also be treated as common gender):

• Indefinite singular: en tenåring – a teenager
• Definite singular: tenåringen – the teenager
• Indefinite plural: tenåringer – teenagers
• Definite plural: tenåringene – the teenagers

In Som tenåring, it’s indefinite singular without article, because it’s used in the general “as a X” construction.