Breakdown of Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
Questions & Answers about Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
Why is at used after håper? Is it like “that” in English?
Yes. at is a subordinating conjunction that works like English “that”:
- Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
= I hope *that the dental treatment doesn’t become / won’t be too expensive.*
Just like in English, “that” is often optional:
- Jeg håper tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
(perfectly natural, especially in speech)
So:
- håper at … = hope that …
- at can be dropped in many everyday sentences, but keeping it is never wrong.
Why is the word order “tannbehandlingen ikke blir” and not “tannbehandlingen blir ikke”?
Because this is a subordinate clause introduced by at.
Rule of thumb:
- Main clause: verb is in 2nd position, and ikke usually comes after the finite verb.
- Tannbehandlingen blir ikke for dyr.
- Subordinate clause (after at, fordi, hvis, etc.): ikke comes before the finite verb.
- … at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
So the pattern in a clause with at is:
at + subject + ikke + finite verb + …
at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr
Why is it blir and not er? In English I’d say “is (too expensive)” or “will be (too expensive)”.
Norwegian bli means “become / turn out / end up (being)”, and it’s very commonly used to talk about future or eventual outcome:
- Tannbehandlingen blir for dyr.
= The dental treatment ends up / turns out / will be too expensive.
If you say:
- Tannbehandlingen er for dyr.
you’re talking more about its current state (as if you already know the price and are judging it now).
With håper, you’re talking about a future or unknown result, so blir is more natural:
- Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
= I hope the treatment won’t be / doesn’t end up being too expensive.
Why is it tannbehandlingen (with -en) and not just tannbehandling?
The -en ending makes the noun definite (“the …”), like a built-in article.
- tannbehandling = dental treatment (in general)
- tannbehandlingen = the dental treatment (a specific one we both know about)
In this sentence, the speaker is clearly referring to a specific, upcoming treatment (for example, the visit you’ve booked), so Norwegian prefers the definite form:
- Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
= I hope the (planned) dental treatment won’t be too expensive.
How is tannbehandlingen formed? Is it one word or two?
It’s one compound noun with a definite ending:
- tann = tooth
- behandling = treatment
- tannbehandling = dental treatment
- tannbehandlingen = the dental treatment (definite, singular)
In Norwegian, compounds are written as one word, and the definite ending (-en / -et / -a) is added to the last part of the compound:
- barnerom → barnerommet (the children’s room)
- tannbehandling → tannbehandlingen (the dental treatment)
What does for dyr mean exactly? Is it “too expensive” or just “very expensive”?
for before an adjective usually means “too (much)” in a negative, “more than desirable” way.
- for dyr = too expensive (more than I can or want to pay)
- veldig dyr / svært dyr = very expensive (just describing high price, not necessarily unacceptable)
So:
- Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
= I hope the treatment doesn’t become *too expensive (i.e., more than I can afford).*
Could I say “Jeg håper tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr” without at? Does the word order change?
Yes, you can drop at here, and the word order stays the same:
- Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
- Jeg håper tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
In spoken Norwegian, many people leave out at after common verbs like:
- jeg tror (at) … – I think (that) …
- jeg vet (at) … – I know (that) …
- jeg håper (at) … – I hope (that) …
But even when at is omitted, the following clause is still treated like a subordinate clause, so you keep:
subject + ikke + verb
tannbehandlingen ikke blir …
Could we say “Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke vil/skal bli for dyr” to talk about the future?
You can say that, but it’s usually not necessary, and often sounds heavier or more formal.
Natural options:
- Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
- Jeg håper tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
Adding vil or skal:
- … ikke vil bli for dyr – can sound more like a prediction or possibility.
- … ikke skal bli for dyr – can sound like a plan or intention.
In everyday speech, blir alone usually covers the idea “will be / ends up being.” So the original sentence is the most typical.
Is tannbehandling the only word for “dental treatment”? How is it different from tannlege?
They’re different:
- tannbehandling = dental treatment / dental work (the procedure itself)
- tannlegen = the dentist (the person)
- tannlege = a dentist (profession)
So:
- Jeg skal til tannlegen.
= I’m going to the dentist. - Jeg skal få tannbehandling.
= I’m going to get dental treatment.
In Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr, you are talking about the treatment, not the dentist.
Can I move ikke to say “Jeg håper at ikke tannbehandlingen blir for dyr”?
Yes, that’s also grammatically correct, but it changes the emphasis a bit.
- … at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr.
= neutral, standard word order. - … at ikke tannbehandlingen blir for dyr.
= slight emphasis on “not the *treatment (that) becomes too expensive”* — for example, contrasting it with something else that might be expensive.
For a neutral, everyday sentence, tannbehandlingen ikke blir is the usual choice.
More from this lesson
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning NorwegianMaster Norwegian — from Jeg håper at tannbehandlingen ikke blir for dyr to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions