Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg forklarer at ingen regler er uten unntak. - I explain that no rules are without exceptions.

Norwegian is comfortable using the negative form ingen regler er uten unntak (“no rules are without exception”), while English more often flips it to the positive-sounding every rule has an exception. The meaning is the same.

Why is forklarer used here? How can Jeg forklarer mean “I am explaining”?

Norwegian does not have a separate continuous/progressive tense like English (I am explaining).

Jeg forklarer can mean both:
- I explain (simple present, habitual)
- I am explaining (right now, in progress)

Context decides which English tense you choose. So in many cases you translate:

Jeg forklarer … → I’m explaining …

What does at do here, and how is it different from som or fordi?

In this sentence, at is a subordinating conjunction that introduces a content clause (a “that”-clause):

Jeg forklarer at … = I explain that …

Comparison:

at = that (introduces a statement)
- Jeg sier at han kommer. – I say that he is coming.
som = who/that/which (introduces a relative clause describing a noun)
- Regelen som jeg forklarer … – The rule that I’m explaining …
fordi = because (introduces a reason)
- Jeg forklarer fordi du spør. – I explain because you ask.

So at is correct here because you’re reporting what you are explaining, not describing a noun and not giving a reason.

Why is the word order ingen regler er uten unntak and not something like ingen regler uten unntak er?

In a normal declarative clause, Norwegian word order is typically:

Subject – Verb – Other elements

Here:

ingen regler = subject (“no rules”)
er = verb (“are”)
uten unntak = adverbial/prepositional phrase (“without exception”)

So:

ingen regler (subject) er (verb) uten unntak (rest)

This is the same basic pattern as English no rules are without exception.

The version ingen regler uten unntak er breaks that pattern and sounds ungrammatical in Norwegian.

What is the difference between ingen regler and ikke noen regler? Could I say Jeg forklarer at ikke noen regler er uten unntak?

Both ingen and ikke noen can express “no / not any”, but:

ingen regler = no rules
ikke noen regler = not any rules

In practice:

ingen regler is more natural and idiomatic here.
ikke noen regler is grammatically possible but sounds heavier, and in this exact sentence it is unusual.

You normally use ingen in front of nouns:

ingen regler – no rules
ingen biler – no cars
ingen tid – no time

ikke noen tends to be used more when stressing the negation or in some positions where ingen doesn’t work as smoothly, but in this sentence:

Jeg forklarer at ingen regler er uten unntak.

is the normal way to say it.

Why is it regler and not reglene? What is the difference?

Regler is the indefinite plural of regel (rule):

en regel – a rule
regler – rules
reglene – the rules

So:

ingen regler = no rules (in general)
ingen av reglene = none of the rules / no (of) the rules

The sentence talks about rules in general, as a concept, not a specific known set of rules, so you use the indefinite plural:

ingen regler (no rules in general)
not
ingen reglerne (this form doesn’t exist)
or
ingen av reglene (none of those specific rules)

What are the genders and forms of regel and unntak? How do I use them with articles?

Regel

Gender: masculine (can also be treated as feminine in some dialects, but masculine is standard)
Forms:
- en regel – a rule
- regelen – the rule
- regler – rules
- reglene – the rules

Unntak

Gender: neuter
Forms:
- et unntak – an exception
- unntaket – the exception
- unntak – exceptions (same form as singular)
- unntakene – the exceptions

In the phrase uten unntak, unntak is singular, but this expression functions more like “without exception” in general, so you don’t normally make it definite (uten unntaket would mean “without the exception”, which is a different idea).

Is uten just “without”? Are there other common expressions similar to uten unntak?

Yes, uten is the standard preposition without.

In this sentence:

uten unntak = without exception

Some similar and related expressions:

uten tvil – without a doubt
uten grunn – without reason
uten problemer – without problems
helt uten unntak – completely without exception

So uten unntak is a fixed, idiomatic phrase, much like English without exception.

Could you rephrase the second part in another natural Norwegian way, and what would the difference be?

Yes, for example:

Jeg forklarer at det finnes ingen regler uten unntak.
Jeg forklarer at alle regler har et unntak.

Differences:

det finnes ingen regler uten unntak
- Literally: there exist no rules without exception.
- Adds det finnes (“there exist / there are”), but the meaning is pretty much the same as the original.
alle regler har et unntak
- Literally: all rules have an exception.
- This matches the more natural English wording every rule has an exception.
- It turns the negative logic around (from “no rules are without exception” to “all rules have an exception”).

All are correct; they just package the same idea slightly differently.

How do you pronounce the key words here: jeg, forklarer, regler, unntak?

Approximate pronunciations (standard Eastern Norwegian, written with English-friendly hints):

jeg – often /jæi/ or shortened to /jæ/
forklarer – /fɔr-ˈklɑː-rer/
- for- like “for” in “forget” (but shorter)
- -klar- like “klar” in German (open a)
- final -er usually sounds like -er with a light r
regler – /ˈreːg-ler/
- re- like “ray” but a bit shorter
- -gler with a soft g and light r
unntak – /ˈʉn-tɑːk/
- u as in the Norwegian u/ʉ sound (between English oo and ee)
- -tak with a long open a (like tahk)

Actual pronunciation varies by dialect, especially jeg, but these approximations will be understood.