Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Økonomien vår er stram nå.

After the noun in definite form (very common and neutral):
- økonomien vår = our economy / our finances
  Here økonomi is in the definite form økonomien (“the economy”), and then vår follows.
Before the noun in indefinite form (often more formal or emphatic):
- vår økonomi = our economy

So økonomien vår is the normal, everyday way of saying “our finances/economy” in this kind of sentence.

Why is it økonomien and not just økonomi?

Økonomi is the base form of the noun (“economy, finances”).
Økonomien is the definite singular form, literally “the economy”.

When you use a possessive pronoun after the noun (vår, din, hans, hennes etc.), you normally put the noun in definite form:

økonomien vår – our economy
bilen min – my car
huset deres – their house

So the pattern is:

definite noun + possessive pronoun
økonomien + vår

This is why you see økonomien, not just økonomi, in this structure.

Can økonomien vår mean “Norway’s economy” or does it only mean “our personal finances”?

On its own, økonomien vår almost always refers to the speaker’s own finances (the speaker and whoever is included in “we” – usually family, household, or group).

If you want to talk about a country’s economy, you’d specify that:

Norges økonomi er stram nå. – Norway’s economy is tight now.

You can say vår økonomi in a more general or political context, where vår = “our country’s” or “our society’s,” but that typically needs context. In a personal, everyday conversation, økonomien vår will naturally be understood as our household finances.

What exactly does stram mean here? Is it the same as “strict” or “tight”?

Stram literally means “tight” (like tight clothes or a tight rope) or “stiff/rigid”.

In the context of økonomi, stram is best translated as:

“tight” (money is limited)
“restricted” / “constrained”

So Økonomien vår er stram nå means:

Our finances are tight now.
(We don’t have much money to spare, we need to be careful with spending.)

It does not usually mean “strict” in this sentence; strict in Norwegian is more often streng (e.g. en streng lærer – a strict teacher).

Could I also say vår økonomi er stram nå? Is there any difference?

Yes, vår økonomi er stram nå is grammatically correct.

Difference in feel:

økonomien vår er stram nå
- Most natural, everyday phrasing in spoken Norwegian.
- Neutral and common.
vår økonomi er stram nå
- Sounds a bit more written, formal, or emphatic.
- Often used in speeches, reports, or when you want to stress vår (“our”).

In ordinary conversation about your own finances, Norwegians would almost always say økonomien vår.

How does the adjective stram agree with økonomien? Why isn’t it stramt or stramme?

In Norwegian, adjectives agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe.

økonomi is usually treated as a masculine noun (sometimes feminine, but the form is the same here).
The basic masculine/feminine singular form of the adjective is stram.

So:

en stram økonomi – a tight economy
økonomien er stram – the economy is tight
økonomien vår er stram – our economy is tight

You use stramt for neuter singular nouns and stramme for plural:

et stramt budsjett – a tight budget
stramme budsjetter – tight budgets

Since økonomi(en) is masculine/feminine singular, stram is the correct form.

Can I move nå? Is Nå er økonomien vår stram also correct?

Yes, both are correct:

Økonomien vår er stram nå.
Nå er økonomien vår stram.

The difference is a small shift in emphasis:

Økonomien vår er stram nå.
– Neutral statement: right now, our finances are tight.
Nå er økonomien vår stram.
– Puts a bit more focus on nå (“Now, our finances are tight”), sometimes contrasting with before:
- We used to be fine, but *now our finances are tight.*

In everyday speech, Økonomien vår er stram nå is very natural and common.

Could I say økonomien vår er dårlig nå instead? What’s the difference from stram?

You can say økonomien vår er dårlig nå, and it’s understandable, but it sounds a bit different:

økonomien vår er stram nå
– Our finances are tight; we have to be careful, but it doesn’t necessarily say they are “bad,” just limited.
økonomien vår er dårlig nå
– Our finances are bad/poor; it suggests a more negative or problematic situation.

Common, very natural alternatives to express “money is tight” include:

Vi har dårlig råd nå. – We don’t have much money / can’t afford much now.
Vi må spare penger nå. – We have to save money now.
Vi må være forsiktige med pengene nå. – We must be careful with our money now.

But for a direct equivalent of “our finances are tight,” økonomien vår er stram nå works well.

How would I make this sentence negative, like “Our finances are not tight now”?

You place ikke (not) after the verb er:

Økonomien vår er ikke stram nå.
– Our finances are not tight now.

Word order pattern:

Subject – Verb – Ikke – Adjective – Time
Økonomien vår – er – ikke – stram – nå

How do you pronounce økonomien vår?

Approximate pronunciation in IPA and with English hints:

økonomien – /ø.kʊ.nʊˈmiː.ən/
- ø: like the vowel in British “bird”, but with rounded lips.
- o here is a short u-like sound, close to the u in “put”.
- Stress is on mi: ø-ko-MI-en.
vår – /voːr/
- å: like “aw” in “law”, but a bit more closed.
- Long vowel: vooor.

Together, somewhat like: “ø-koh-noo-MEE-en vor” (very rough English approximation).

Is there a more colloquial or “softer” way to say this in everyday conversation?

Yes, Norwegians often soften or modify it a bit in speech. For example:

Økonomien vår er litt stram nå.
– Our finances are a bit tight now.

Other very natural options:

Vi har litt stram økonomi nå. – We have a bit of a tight economy now.
Vi har litt dårlig råd for tiden. – We don’t have much money these days.

But your original sentence, Økonomien vår er stram nå, is perfectly natural and correct.