Learn Hardcore Norwegian: I samfunnsfag lærer vi at grunnloven gir oss stemmerett og noen viktige plikter. - In social studies we learn that the constitution gives us the right to vote and some important duties.

Norwegian main clauses normally have verb-second (V2) word order: the finite verb must come in second position, no matter what is in first position.

Here, the first element is a prepositional phrase:

I samfunnsfag – first element
lærer – finite verb (must be in second place)
vi – subject
rest of the sentence

If you start with the subject instead, you can say Vi lærer i samfunnsfag at …. Both are correct; the original just chooses to put I samfunnsfag first for emphasis.

What exactly does lærer vi mean? Is lærer a noun or a verb here?

In this sentence, lærer is a verb meaning learn (or are learning).

å lære = to learn / to teach (context decides which)
vi lærer = we learn / we are learning

The noun en lærer means a teacher, but here the position and meaning clearly show it’s a verb: I samfunnsfag lærer vi … = In social studies we learn ….

What is the function of at in lærer vi at grunnloven gir oss …?

Here at is a subordinating conjunction, equivalent to English that in indirect speech or a content clause.

Vi lærer at grunnloven gir oss …
= We learn that the constitution gives us …

So at introduces the clause grunnloven gir oss stemmerett og noen viktige plikter.

Why is it grunnloven and not just grunnlov?

Grunnlov means constitution.

Norwegian adds a suffix to mark definiteness instead of using a separate word like “the”:

en grunnlov = a constitution
grunnloven = the constitution

Because we are talking about the specific national constitution (Norway’s), the definite form grunnloven is used.

What does gir oss mean, and why is the object oss after gir?

gir is the present tense of å gi = to give.
oss = us (object form of vi = we).

So gir oss = gives us.

Word order: verb-second still applies inside this subordinate clause:

grunnloven – subject
gir – finite verb
oss – indirect object (us)
stemmerett og noen viktige plikter – what is given

This is the normal order: subject – verb – object(s).

What does stemmerett mean? It looks like two words stuck together.

Yes, stemmerett is a compound noun:

stemme = vote (also voice in some contexts)
rett = right

Together: stemmerett = the right to vote, voting rights, or suffrage.

Norwegian often combines nouns instead of using a phrase like “right to X”.

Why is stemmerett without an article here? Shouldn’t it be like stemmeretten?

Norwegian can often omit the article when talking about rights or things in a general, abstract sense, especially in coordination with other abstract nouns:

grunnloven gir oss stemmerett og noen viktige plikter
= the constitution gives us (the) right to vote and some important duties.

Using stemmeretten (the voting right) would sound more specific, like referring to one particular right as a concrete item. Here the bare form stemmerett works as a general concept.

What does noen viktige plikter mean exactly, and what are the forms here?

noen viktige plikter = some important duties/obligations.

Breakdown:

en plikt = a duty / an obligation
plikter = duties (plural indefinite)
viktig = important
viktige = important (plural or definite form)
noen = some (for countable plural nouns)

So the structure is:

noen (some)
viktige (important – plural form agreeing with plikter)
plikter (duties – plural)

Why is viktige with an -e ending instead of just viktig?

Adjectives in Norwegian agree with the noun in number and definiteness.

Basic form: viktig (important)
Plural (and definite singular): viktige

Since plikter is plural, the adjective takes the plural form:

viktige plikter = important duties

If it were singular indefinite, you’d see:

en viktig plikt = an important duty

How does the verb gir work here? Is it present simple or present continuous in English?

Norwegian has one present tense form for both English present simple and present continuous.

gir = gives / is giving depending on context.

In this sentence, it describes a general, timeless fact about the constitution, so the natural English translation is present simple:

grunnloven gir oss … = the constitution gives us …

Norwegian doesn’t need a special “-ing” form here.

Can you rewrite the sentence with a different word order to say the same thing?

Yes, several variants are natural. For example:

Vi lærer i samfunnsfag at grunnloven gir oss stemmerett og noen viktige plikter.
(Subject first; still correct V2: Vi – lærer – …)
Vi lærer at grunnloven gir oss stemmerett og noen viktige plikter i samfunnsfag.
(Puts i samfunnsfag at the end for emphasis.)

The original simply highlights the context (social studies) by placing I samfunnsfag first and then keeping the verb in second position: I samfunnsfag lærer vi …

What are the grammatical roles of each part of the sentence?

Breakdown:

I samfunnsfag – prepositional phrase (sets the context: in social studies)
lærer – finite verb (main verb: learn)
vi – subject (we)
at – subordinating conjunction (that)
grunnloven – subject of the subordinate clause (the constitution)
gir – finite verb in the subordinate clause (gives)
oss – indirect object (us)
stemmerett – direct object (what we get: voting rights)
og – coordinating conjunction (and)
noen viktige plikter – second part of the direct object (some important duties)

So overall structure:

Main clause: I samfunnsfag lærer vi
Subordinate clause introduced by at: grunnloven gir oss stemmerett og noen viktige plikter.