Log inSign up

Resirkulering er lett når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten.

Resirkulering er lett når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten.
Recycling is easy when we have a recycling station nearby.
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Norwegian grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Norwegian now

Questions & Answers about Resirkulering er lett når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten.

What exactly does resirkulering mean here, and is it a noun or a verb?

Resirkulering means recycling and in this sentence it is a noun (a thing), not a verb.

  • resirkulering = recycling (the activity, as a concept)
  • å resirkulere = to recycle (the verb)

So:

  • Resirkulering er lett = Recycling is easy
  • Det er lett å resirkulere = It is easy to recycle

Both are correct Norwegian, but they use different word classes.

Why is it Resirkulering er lett and not something like Det er lett å resirkulere?

Both versions are idiomatic; they just focus differently:

  • Resirkulering er lett literally: Recycling is easy.

    • Focus on recycling as a subject or topic.

  • Det er lett å resirkulere literally: It is easy to recycle.

    • More generic construction, often used when introducing an activity.

Norwegians might choose either, depending on style and what they want to emphasize, but your sentence is perfectly natural as is.

Why is lett used here? Could I use enkel instead?

Lett and enkel can both mean easy, but their usage is slightly different:

  • lett

    • Very common for things that are easy to do or understand.
    • Used a lot in everyday speech.
    • Example: Norsk er lett. – Norwegian is easy.

  • enkel

    • Can mean simple, straightforward, or not complicated.
    • Sometimes feels a bit more formal or descriptive.
    • Example: Det er en enkel oppgave. – It is a simple task.

In this sentence, Resirkulering er lett is the most natural-sounding choice.
Resirkulering er enkel is grammatically correct but sounds a bit less idiomatic in casual speech.

What does når vi har mean exactly, and why not fordi vi har?
  • når vi har = when we have
  • fordi vi har = because we have

The nuance:

  • når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten

    • Talks about the time/situation: in situations where we have a recycling station nearby, recycling is easy.

  • fordi vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten

    • Gives a reason: recycling is easy because we have a recycling station nearby.

Both are possible, but they say slightly different things.
The original sentence emphasizes the situation (whenever we have such a station nearby), not just the cause.

What exactly is a miljøstasjon, and why is it written as one long word?

Miljøstasjon is a compound noun:

  • miljø = environment
  • stasjon = station

Together: miljøstasjon = environmental station, i.e. a recycling / waste sorting station.

Norwegian very often joins nouns into one long word:

  • søppelbøtte (søppel + bøtte) = trash can
  • barnehage (barn + hage) = kindergarten (literally child-garden)
  • bussstopp (buss + stopp) = bus stop

So miljøstasjon is one word, not two.

Why is it en miljøstasjon and not miljøstasjonen?

En miljøstasjon is the indefinite form: a recycling station.
Miljøstasjonen is the definite form: the recycling station.

In this sentence, we are talking in general:

  • Resirkulering er lett når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten.
    = Recycling is easy when we have a recycling station nearby (any such station; not a specific, previously mentioned one).

If you were talking about one specific, known station, you could say:

  • Resirkulering er lett når vi har miljøstasjonen i nærheten.
    = Recycling is easy when we have the recycling station nearby.

But that sounds more context-dependent; the general version with en is more natural here.

Why is the article en used with miljøstasjon? Is it always masculine?

In Bokmål:

  • stasjon is grammatically masculine
  • So its indefinite article is en: en stasjon
  • The compound miljøstasjon keeps that gender: en miljøstasjon

Most nouns ending in -sjon (nation, stasjon, situasjon, etc.) are masculine in Bokmål and take en:

  • en situasjon
  • en nasjon
  • en diskusjon

So en miljøstasjon follows a common pattern.

What does i nærheten mean, and how is it built?

I nærheten literally means in the closeness, and is used idiomatically as:

  • i nærheten = nearby / in the vicinity

Structure:

  • nærhet = closeness, proximity (a noun)
  • nærheten = the closeness (definite form)
  • i nærheten = in the (physical) closeness → near, nearby

Typical phrases:

  • Bor du i nærheten? – Do you live nearby?
  • Det er en butikk i nærheten. – There is a shop nearby.

So en miljøstasjon i nærheten = a recycling station nearby.

Could I say nær instead of i nærheten, like en miljøstasjon nær oss?

Yes, but the phrasing changes slightly:

  • i nærheten = nearby / in the vicinity (very common, slightly vague, but natural)
  • nær oss = near us
  • nær huset vårt = near our house

Some alternatives:

  • Resirkulering er lett når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten.
  • Resirkulering er lett når vi har en miljøstasjon nær oss.
  • Resirkulering er lett når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten av oss.

All are acceptable, but i nærheten (by itself) is the most neutral, set expression.

Why is there no comma before når in Norwegian, although English puts a comma before when?

Norwegian comma rules differ from English:

  • When a subordinate clause (like når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten) comes after the main clause, you normally do not use a comma:

    • Resirkulering er lett når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten.
      (No comma.)

  • When the subordinate clause comes first, you do use a comma:

    • Når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten, er resirkulering lett.

So both of these are correct, but the comma only appears when når-clause comes at the beginning.

Could I move the når-clause to the beginning of the sentence?

Yes:

  • Resirkulering er lett når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten.
  • Når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten, er resirkulering lett.

Both are grammatical and natural.
Difference is only in emphasis and rhythm:

  • Starting with Resirkulering emphasizes the concept of recycling.
  • Starting with Når vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten emphasizes the condition/situation.
Why is vi used? Could I use man here to mean “people in general”?

Yes, you can:

  • vi har en miljøstasjon i nærheten = we have a recycling station nearby.
  • man har en miljøstasjon i nærheten = one/people have a recycling station nearby.

If you change the sentence:

  • Resirkulering er lett når man har en miljøstasjon i nærheten.
    = Recycling is easy when you / people in general have a recycling station nearby.

Using vi sounds a bit more specific: we (for example, in our town) have a station nearby.
Using man makes it more general and impersonal.

How do you pronounce resirkulering, miljøstasjon, and i nærheten?

Approximate pronunciation (using rough English-like spelling):

  • resirkulering ≈ reh-seer-koo-LEH-ring

    • Stress on -le-: re-sir-ku-LE-ring

  • miljøstasjon ≈ mil-YUH-sta-shohn

    • miljø has a y sound (like in yes) plus a little j sound: mil-jø
    • stasjon ≈ sta-shohn (the sj is like English sh)

  • i nærheten ≈ ee NAIR-heh-ten

    • i = ee
    • nær has the Norwegian æ (between a and e)
    • heten ≈ heh-ten

Exact sounds depend on dialect, but these approximations will be understood.