Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Kondisjonen min blir bedre når jeg trener hver dag. - My fitness gets better when I exercise every day.

In this sentence, kondisjonen specifically means physical fitness / stamina, especially your cardiovascular shape (how easily you get out of breath, how long you can run, etc.).

It does not usually mean “condition” in a broad sense like:

my living conditions
the condition of the car

For those, Norwegian would use other words like forhold, tilstand, etc.
So kondisjon is best understood as “fitness” or “shape” in a physical-exercise context.

Why is it kondisjonen min and not min kondisjon? Are both correct?

Both kondisjonen min and min kondisjon are grammatically correct, but they differ in style and nuance.

kondisjonen min (noun + definite ending + min)
- Very common, neutral, everyday way to say “my fitness”.
- Sounds natural and unmarked in spoken Norwegian.
min kondisjon (possessive before the noun)
- Gives more emphasis or contrast: “my fitness (as opposed to someone else’s)” or “my own fitness”.
- Can sound a bit more formal or marked in many contexts.

So in this sentence, kondisjonen min is the most natural choice.

Why is blir used instead of er? What’s the difference between blir bedre and er bedre?

blir bedre = “becomes better / gets better” → it focuses on change over time.
er bedre = “is better” → it describes a state, not the process of improvement.

In Kondisjonen min blir bedre når jeg trener hver dag, the idea is: > My fitness improves when I work out every day.

If you said Kondisjonen min er bedre når jeg trener hver dag, it would sound more like: > My fitness is in a better state at the times when I train every day,

which is less natural for the general cause–effect idea the original sentence expresses.

Can I say Kondisjonen min vil bli bedre når jeg trener hver dag to talk about the future?

You can say vil bli bedre, and it’s grammatically correct, but it’s not usually needed here.

Norwegian often uses the present tense for:

general truths
habits
and even many future meanings, if a time expression makes it clear

So:

Kondisjonen min blir bedre når jeg trener hver dag.
→ “My fitness gets better when I work out every day.” (general truth / habit)

vil bli bedre would sound more like a prediction or a promise about the future, and is more likely with a more specific context, e.g.: > Kondisjonen min vil bli bedre hvis jeg begynner å trene hver dag.
> My fitness will get better if I start working out every day.

Why is it når and not da for “when”?

Norwegian makes a clear distinction:

når = “when” for
- repeated / habitual actions
- general truths
- and future events
da = “when” for
- a single event in the past

In Kondisjonen min blir bedre når jeg trener hver dag, the training happens repeatedly and refers to a general rule, so når is the correct choice.

If you talked about something that happened once in the past, you would use da, e.g.: > Kondisjonen min ble bedre da jeg trente hver dag i fjor.
> My fitness improved when I worked out every day last year.

Why is the word order når jeg trener and not når trener jeg?

In Norwegian:

In main clauses, the verb usually comes in second position (V2 word order).
- Example: Jeg trener hver dag. / I dag trener jeg.
In subordinate clauses (after når, at, fordi, etc.), the order is usually:
- [Subjunction] + [Subject] + [Verb] + …

So:

Correct: når jeg trener hver dag
Incorrect: *når trener jeg hver dag (English-influenced; not good Norwegian here)

The sentence Kondisjonen min blir bedre når jeg trener hver dag. follows the normal subordinate-clause word order.

Could I move hver dag earlier and say når jeg hver dag trener?

You could technically say når jeg hver dag trener, and it’s understandable and grammatically possible, but it sounds a bit marked or formal/literary in modern everyday Norwegian.

The most natural order is:

når jeg trener hver dag

Norwegian tends to place short time expressions like hver dag after the verb phrase in sentences like this.

What exactly does trener mean here? Is it “train” like practicing a skill?

The verb å trene has two main uses:

Physical exercise / working out
- Jeg trener på treningssenteret. – I work out at the gym.
- This is the meaning in your sentence.
Practice a skill (similar to “to train / to practise”)
- Han trener på piano. – He practises the piano.

In Kondisjonen min blir bedre når jeg trener hver dag, the context with kondisjonen makes it clear that trener means doing physical exercise.

Is hver dag always “every day”, and is there a difference from hver eneste dag?

hver dag = “every day” (neutral, most common)
hver eneste dag = “every single day” (stronger, more emphatic)

So you could also say:

Kondisjonen min blir bedre når jeg trener hver eneste dag.
→ My fitness gets better when I work out every single day.

The grammar is the same; hver eneste dag just adds emphasis.

Could I use a different word than kondisjon, like form or fysikk?

Yes, there are some common alternatives, each with slightly different nuance:

formen min
- Very common, everyday: “my (physical) shape / form”.
- Jeg er i god form. – I’m in good shape.
fysikken min
- More about your body / physique in general, sometimes more technical or descriptive.
- Less common in this exact sentence, but possible.

So you could say, for example:

Formen min blir bedre når jeg trener hver dag.

This is at least as natural as the original and very common in spoken Norwegian.

Why does kondisjonen have -en at the end if we also have min? Isn’t that double?

This is a normal Norwegian pattern for postposed possessives:

en kondisjon – an (undefined) fitness/condition
kondisjonen – the fitness/condition (definite form)
kondisjonen min – “my fitness”

So in the pattern [noun + definite ending] + [possessive], the noun keeps its definite ending (-en, -a, -et, -ene), and then you add min / mi / mitt / mine after it.

That’s not double-marking by mistake; it’s just how this possessive construction works in Norwegian.

Can I put the når-clause at the beginning of the sentence? Does the word order change?

Yes, you can start with the når-clause:

Når jeg trener hver dag, blir kondisjonen min bedre.

The subordinate clause itself keeps its word order (når jeg trener), and in the main clause after it, Norwegian still uses verb in second position:

blir comes right after the subordinate clause:
- Når jeg trener hver dag, blir kondisjonen min bedre.

So both versions are correct and natural:

Kondisjonen min blir bedre når jeg trener hver dag.
Når jeg trener hver dag, blir kondisjonen min bedre.