Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Han har en deltidsjobb nå, men opprinnelig ønsket han en heltidsjobb i byen. - He has a part-time job now, but originally he wanted a full-time job in the city.

In Norwegian, such compounds are normally written as one word. Writing deltids jobb as two words is incorrect in standard Norwegian. You may also see deltidsstilling (“part‑time position”), which is a bit more formal.

Why is it en deltidsjobb and not et deltidsjobb?

Norwegian nouns have grammatical gender. Jobb is a masculine noun, so it takes the masculine indefinite article en:

en jobb = a job
jobben = the job

That’s why it’s en deltidsjobb and not et deltidsjobb.

What is the function of nå, and could it be placed somewhere else in the sentence?

Nå means “now”, and here it marks the current situation: he has a part‑time job now.

Typical placements:

Han har nå en deltidsjobb, men … (also correct, a bit more formal/emphatic)
Nå har han en deltidsjobb, men … (focuses a bit more on “now / these days”)

All three are grammatical; the given sentence (Han har en deltidsjobb nå …) is the most neutral and common in everyday speech.

What does opprinnelig mean exactly, and where can it appear in the sentence?

Opprinnelig means “originally” or “to begin with”. It refers to the situation or intention in the past, before things changed.

In this sentence, it modifies ønsket (“wanted”):

… men opprinnelig ønsket han en heltidsjobb … (neutral, standard)
… men han ønsket opprinnelig en heltidsjobb … (also correct; slightly different rhythm)
… men han opprinnelig ønsket en heltidsjobb … (less common, but possible in speech)

It usually comes before or right after the verb it is describing.

Why is it opprinnelig ønsket han and not opprinnelig han ønsket?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be the second element in the clause.

In … men opprinnelig ønsket han …:

opprinnelig = first element
ønsket = finite verb (must come second)
han = subject

So opprinnelig ønsket han is correct V2 word order.
Opprinnelig han ønsket would violate V2 and is ungrammatical in standard Norwegian.

Why is ønsket in the past tense when the first part is in the present (har)?

The tenses reflect two different time frames:

Han har en deltidsjobb nå = He has a part‑time job now (present situation).
… men opprinnelig ønsket han en heltidsjobb … = but originally he wanted a full‑time job (past intention).

So ønsket (past tense) refers to what he wanted before, which contrasts with what he has now.

You could say … men opprinnelig ønsker han …, but that would mean he still originally wants it (odd combination) and is usually not what you mean.

Can you explain the difference between heltidsjobb and deltidsjobb?

Yes:

heltid = full time
deltid = part time

So:

en heltidsjobb = a full‑time job
en deltidsjobb = a part‑time job

The -s- in the middle is just the normal linking sound in many Norwegian compounds: heltid + s + jobb → heltidsjobb.

Is there any difference between heltidsjobb and fulltidsjobb?

Both mean “full‑time job”, and both are understood everywhere.

heltidsjobb is very common and maybe a bit more neutral.
fulltidsjobb is also common; some people feel it sounds a tiny bit more “technical”, but in practice they are interchangeable.

You will hear and see both; you don’t need to worry about a big difference in meaning.

Why do we say i byen and not i en by?

Both are possible, but they mean slightly different things:

i byen = in the town / in the city (typically a specific, known town or city; often “the city” nearby or where he lives/used to live)
i en by = in a (some) city (any city, not specified which)

In the sentence, i byen suggests “in the (local or previously mentioned) city”, not just any random city.

Why do we say Han har en jobb but Hun er lærer without an article?

With many professions and roles, Norwegian usually omits the article after å være (“to be”):

Hun er lærer. = She is a teacher.
Han er lege. = He is a doctor.

But with å ha (“to have”), you normally use the article:

Han har en jobb. = He has a job.
Han har en deltidsjobb.

So:

er + profession → usually no article
har + job → with article (en/ei/et)

Is har here an auxiliary verb or does it just mean “has / possesses”?

Here har is the main lexical verb, meaning “has / possesses”:

Han har en deltidsjobb = He has a part‑time job.

It is not an auxiliary in this sentence.
As an auxiliary, har appears in perfect tenses, like Han har jobbet (“He has worked”). That’s a different structure from the one in your example.

Any basic pronunciation tips for deltidsjobb and opprinnelig?

Approximate English‑based tips (not exact, but helpful):

deltidsjobb ≈ “DEHL-teeds-yobb”
- del: like English “dell”
- tid: like “teed”
- jobb: like English “yobb” (initial j is like English y)
opprinnelig ≈ “op-RIN-neh-lig”
- opp: short “op” (double p = short vowel)
- rin: like English “rin” in “ring” (without the g)
- the g at the end of -lig is often very soft or almost silent in many accents.

Listening to native audio will help lock in the rhythm and stress.

Can opprinnelig be left out without changing the grammar of the sentence?

Yes. If you remove opprinnelig, the sentence is still grammatically correct:

Han har en deltidsjobb nå, men ønsket han en heltidsjobb i byen.

You would probably adjust the word order to the more natural:

Han har en deltidsjobb nå, men han ønsket en heltidsjobb i byen.

However, the meaning changes: without opprinnelig, you lose the nuance “to begin with / at first”, and you just state that in the past he wanted a full‑time job.