I nabolaget sprer ryktet seg raskt.

In the neighborhood the rumor spreads quickly.

Breakdown of I nabolaget sprer ryktet seg raskt.

• i: in
• rask: quick
• ryktet: the rumor
• nabolaget: the neighborhood
• spre seg: to spread

Questions & Answers about I nabolaget sprer ryktet seg raskt.

What does I nabolaget mean exactly, and why do we use i here and not another preposition?

I nabolaget literally means in the neighbourhood.

• i = in
• nabolaget = the neighbourhood

In Norwegian, i is the normal preposition for being inside or within an area (cities, rooms, neighbourhoods, countries, etc.):

• i huset – in the house
• i byen – in the city
• i Norge – in Norway
• i nabolaget – in the neighbourhood

Using på (on/at) would be wrong here, because a neighbourhood is seen as an area you are in, not on or at.

Why does it say nabolaget and not nabolag?

Nabolag is a neuter noun meaning neighbourhood.

Norwegian has indefinite and definite forms:

• et nabolag – a neighbourhood (indefinite, singular)
• nabolaget – the neighbourhood (definite, singular)

The -et ending marks the definite form of a neuter noun:

• et hus → huset (the house)
• et språk → språket (the language)
• et nabolag → nabolaget (the neighbourhood)

So nabolaget means the neighbourhood specifically, not just any neighbourhood.

Why does the sentence start with I nabolaget instead of the subject ryktet?

Norwegian has a verb-second rule (V2): the finite verb should usually be in second position in the sentence.

In your sentence, the structure is:

1. I nabolaget – adverbial (where)
2. sprer – verb
3. ryktet – subject
4. seg raskt – the rest (reflexive + adverb)

So sprer must come right after the first element (I nabolaget).

You can also say:

• Ryktet sprer seg raskt i nabolaget.

Here the subject ryktet is first, the verb sprer is still in second position, and the place phrase moves to the end. Both versions are correct; starting with I nabolaget just emphasizes the location.

What is the role of seg in sprer ryktet seg?

Seg is a reflexive pronoun meaning itself / themselves (for 3rd person).

The verb å spre means to spread (something).
The reflexive form å spre seg means to spread (by itself), to spread around.

• Noen sprer ryktet. – Someone spreads the rumour.
• Ryktet sprer seg. – The rumour spreads (by itself / around).

So sprer ryktet seg literally is spreads the-rumour itself, which idiomatically means the rumour spreads.

Is ryktet the subject or the object in this sentence?

Ryktet is the subject.

The structure is:

• (I nabolaget) – adverbial (place)
• sprer – verb
• ryktet – subject (what spreads?)
• seg – reflexive pronoun linked to the subject
• raskt – adverb (how?)

You can see it more clearly in the more neutral word order:

• Ryktet sprer seg raskt i nabolaget.

Here it’s obvious that ryktet = the rumour is the subject that is spreading.

Why is it raskt and not rask?

Rask is an adjective meaning fast / quick.
Raskt is the corresponding adverb meaning quickly.

In Norwegian, many adverbs are formed by adding -t to the neuter form of the adjective:

• rask (fast) → raskt (quickly)
• rolig (calm) → rolig / rolig (adverb same form)
• sikker (sure) → sikkert (surely / probably)

Since raskt describes how the rumour spreads (the manner of the action), we need the adverb, not the adjective. So:

• Ryktet er raskt. – The rumour is quick. (odd sentence)
• Ryktet sprer seg raskt. – The rumour spreads quickly. ✔

Could I also say Ryktet sprer seg raskt i nabolaget? Is there any difference?

Yes, that is completely correct:

• Ryktet sprer seg raskt i nabolaget.
• I nabolaget sprer ryktet seg raskt.

Both mean the same. The difference is emphasis and information order:

• Starting with Ryktet is the most neutral; you present the rumour first.
• Starting with I nabolaget puts more focus on the location; you’re saying “In this neighbourhood, rumours spread quickly”.

Grammatically, both are fine as long as the verb is in second position:

• Ryktet (1) sprer (2) seg raskt i nabolaget.
• I nabolaget (1) sprer (2) ryktet seg raskt.

What tense is sprer, and what are the other forms of this verb?

Sprer is the present tense of å spre (to spread).

Main forms:

• å spre – to spread (infinitive)
• sprer – spread(s) (present)
• spredte – spread (past)
• har spredd / har spredt – has spread (present perfect; both forms used)

Examples:

• Ryktet sprer seg raskt. – The rumour spreads quickly.
• Ryktet spredte seg raskt. – The rumour spread quickly.
• Ryktet har spredd seg raskt. – The rumour has spread quickly.

Why is it seg and not det after ryktet?

Det means it (non-reflexive pronoun).
Seg is reflexive: itself / himself / herself / themselves.

With verbs that are reflexive in Norwegian (like å spre seg), you must use seg, not det, for 3rd person:

• Ryktet sprer seg. – The rumour spreads (itself / around). ✔
• Ryktet sprer det. – The rumour spreads it. ✘ (means the rumour is spreading something else)

So seg refers back to the subject ryktet, forming the fixed reflexive verb å spre seg.

How do you pronounce nabolaget, ryktet, sprer, seg, and raskt?

Approximate pronunciation (standard Eastern Norwegian, written in simple English-like form):

• nabolaget – NAH-boh-lah-get
  
  • stress on NAH
• ryktet – RÜK-teh
  
  • y like German ü or French u in lune
• sprer – sprehr (like English sprayer but shorter, with a trilled/rolled or tapped r)
• seg – often sæi (similar to English sigh, but with æ as in cat)
• raskt – rah-skt
  
  • the sk can blend a bit; the t is often light or almost silent in fast speech

Regional accents vary, but these approximations will be understood.