Ved rundkjøringen må vi kjøre saktere enn ved trafikklyset.

At the roundabout we have to drive more slowly than at the traffic light.

Breakdown of Ved rundkjøringen må vi kjøre saktere enn ved trafikklyset.

• vi: we
• måtte: must
• ved: at
• enn: than
• saktere: more slowly
• trafikklyset: the traffic light
• kjøre: to drive
• rundkjøringen: the roundabout

Questions & Answers about Ved rundkjøringen må vi kjøre saktere enn ved trafikklyset.

Why do we use ved in ved rundkjøringen and ved trafikklyset? Does ved mean “by” or “at”?

Ved is a preposition that usually means “by / at / near”. Here it’s best understood as “at”:

• Ved rundkjøringen = at the roundabout
• Ved trafikklyset = at the traffic light

In Norwegian, ved is very common for locations where something happens around or by a specific point, especially things like:

• ved skolen – at/by the school
• ved elva – by the river
• ved krysset – at the intersection

You could sometimes use i (“in”) or på (“on/at”) with other nouns, but with rundkjøring and trafikklys in this driving context, ved is the natural choice, because you’re talking about being at/near them on the road, not literally inside or on top of them.

What does the -en in rundkjøringen mean? Why not just rundkjøring?

The -en ending makes the noun definite (like adding “the” in English).

• en rundkjøring = a roundabout (indefinite)
• rundkjøringen = the roundabout (definite)

Norwegian usually uses the definite form when you and the listener know which specific thing you’re talking about, especially with places on a route:

• Ved rundkjøringen – at the roundabout (we both know which one)
• Ved krysset – at the (specific) intersection

So ved rundkjøringen = “at the roundabout,” not just “at a roundabout.”

Why does trafikklyset end in -et, while rundkjøringen ends in -en?

This is about grammatical gender and definite endings:

• rundkjøring is a common gender noun (en rundkjøring)

  • Definite singular: rundkjøringen (the roundabout)

• trafikklys is a neuter noun (et trafikklys)

  • Definite singular: trafikklyset (the traffic light)

So:

• en → -en in the definite: en rundkjøring → rundkjøringen
• et → -et in the definite: et trafikklys → trafikklyset

English doesn’t mark gender like this, but in Norwegian, the article (en/ei/et) and the definite ending (-en/-a/-et) change with the noun’s gender.

Why is it må vi kjøre and not vi må kjøre after ved rundkjøringen?

This is Norwegian word order after something is moved to the front of the sentence.

The “neutral” order would be:

• Vi må kjøre saktere ved rundkjøringen. – We must drive slower at the roundabout.

But here, the place phrase ved rundkjøringen has been moved to the front for emphasis or structure:

• Ved rundkjøringen må vi kjøre saktere …

In main clauses, Norwegian follows the V2 rule:
The finite verb (here må) must be the second element in the sentence.

1. Ved rundkjøringen – first element (a place phrase)
2. må – finite verb, must come second
3. vi – the subject
4. kjøre saktere enn ved trafikklyset – the rest

That’s why it’s ved rundkjøringen må vi kjøre…, not ved rundkjøringen vi må kjøre….

What exactly does må mean here? Is it “must” or “have to”?

Må is a modal verb that usually means “must / have to / need to”, expressing obligation or necessity.

In this sentence:

• må vi kjøre saktere ≈ “we must drive slower” / “we have to drive slower”

The nuance depends on context:

• It can be a rule or law (you must by regulation).
• Or a practical necessity (you have to, otherwise it’s dangerous).

English distinguishes a bit between “must” and “have to,” but må covers both. Context tells you how strong it is.

Why is it kjøre saktere and not something like kjøre mer sakte?

Norwegian usually forms the comparative of sakte (“slowly / slow”) as:

• sakte – slow(ly)
• saktere – slower / more slowly

So kjøre saktere is the normal, idiomatic way to say “drive more slowly / drive slower.”

You can see mer sakte in some speech or writing, and people will understand it, but:

• saktere is shorter and more standard.
• Textbooks and formal language usually prefer saktere.

So:

• Vi må kjøre saktere – We must drive slower / more slowly.

Is saktere an adverb or an adjective here?

In kjøre saktere, saktere functions as an adverb, because it describes how we drive.

• å kjøre – to drive
• kjøre sakte / saktere – drive slowly / more slowly (manner)

The base word sakte can be both:

• adjective: en sakte sang – a slow song
• adverb: snakke sakte – speak slowly

In this sentence it’s about the manner of driving, so it’s adverbial. Norwegian often uses the same form for adjectives and adverbs, and their role is decided by function in the sentence.

Why do we need enn in saktere enn ved trafikklyset?

Enn is the word used after a comparative in Norwegian, like English “than.”

Pattern:

• adjective/adverb (comparative) + enn + what you compare with

Examples:

• større enn – bigger than
• bedre enn – better than
• raskere enn – faster than
• saktere enn – slower than

So here:

• saktere enn ved trafikklyset = slower than at the traffic light

You generally cannot drop enn. Saying saktere ved trafikklyset would just mean slower at the traffic light (no comparison).

Why do we repeat ved: saktere enn ved trafikklyset? Could we say saktere enn trafikklyset?

You need to repeat ved because the comparison is between two locations/situations, not between a manner of driving and an object.

• Correct:
  
  • ved rundkjøringen (at the roundabout)
    enn ved trafikklyset (than at the traffic light)

If you say saktere enn trafikklyset, it sounds like you are comparing your speed directly to the traffic light itself, which doesn’t make sense.

Norwegian usually repeats the preposition when each part of the comparison has its own prepositional phrase:

• på landet er det roligere enn i byen – in the countryside it is quieter than in the city
• i Norge er det kaldere enn i Spania – in Norway it is colder than in Spain

Same pattern here with ved … enn ved ….

Can I change the word order to put ved rundkjøringen later in the sentence?

Yes. Several word orders are possible and correct, with slightly different emphasis:

1. Vi må kjøre saktere ved rundkjøringen enn ved trafikklyset.
   – Neutral, subject (vi) first.

2. Ved rundkjøringen må vi kjøre saktere enn ved trafikklyset.
   – Emphasis on “at the roundabout” by putting it first.

3. Vi må, ved rundkjøringen, kjøre saktere enn ved trafikklyset.
   – Possible in writing, but the commas make it sound more formal or stylistic.

All of these keep the V2 rule (finite verb in second position). What you cannot do is something like:

• Ved rundkjøringen vi må kjøre saktere … ❌

because then må is not in the second position.

Why is it ved trafikklyset in the singular definite? What if there are several traffic lights?

Grammatically:

• et trafikklys – a traffic light
• trafikklyset – the traffic light (definite singular)
• trafikklys (no article) – traffic lights (also used as a kind of plural/mass form)

In this sentence, ved trafikklyset suggests one specific traffic light on this route – the one the speaker and listener both recognize.

If you really want to talk about plural, you could say:

• ved trafikklysene – at the traffic lights (those specific ones)

But in typical driving instructions or descriptions, you often focus on one recognizable light/roundabout at a time, hence singular definite: rundkjøringen, trafikklyset.