Hun øver på piano hver kveld når barna sover.

She practices the piano every evening when the children are sleeping.

Breakdown of Hun øver på piano hver kveld når barna sover.

• hun: she
• barnet: the child
• sove: to sleep
• hver: every
• på: on
• når: when
• kvelden: the evening
• øve: to practice
• pianoet: the piano

Questions & Answers about Hun øver på piano hver kveld når barna sover.

Why is it Hun and not Henne at the start of the sentence?

Norwegian distinguishes between subject and object pronouns, just like English (she vs her):

• Hun = she (subject form)
• Henne = her (object form, or after prepositions)

In this sentence, Hun øver på piano ..., hun is the subject, the one doing the action, so you must use the subject form hun, not henne.

Examples:

• Hun ser barna. – She sees the children.
• Barna ser henne. – The children see her.

What does øver mean exactly, and how is it different from spiller?

Both verbs can appear with instruments, but the nuance is different:

• å øve = to practice (focus on training, repetition, improving a skill)
  
  • Hun øver på piano. – She is practicing (working on exercises, pieces, technique).
• å spille = to play (focus on performing or playing music/games)
  
  • Hun spiller piano. – She plays the piano (she is a piano player; or she is currently playing).

In this sentence, øver highlights that she is practicing regularly, not just casually playing.

Why do you say øver på piano and not øver piano or øver det piano?

With å øve in the sense of practicing an instrument or skill, Norwegian normally uses the preposition på:

• å øve på piano / gitar / fiolin – to practice (the) piano / guitar / violin
• å øve på uttale – to practice pronunciation
• å øve på grammatikk – to practice grammar

So the normal pattern is øve på + thing you practice.
Saying øver piano without på sounds wrong or very foreign.
øver det piano is also incorrect; you don’t insert a determiner there.

Why is it på piano and not på pianoet (the piano)?

When talking about playing or practicing a musical instrument in general, Norwegian usually uses the bare, indefinite form of the noun:

• spille piano / gitar / trommer
• øve på piano / fiolin

You use the definite form (pianoet) if you are talking about a specific physical piano, for example:

• Hun øver på pianoet i stua. – She practices on the piano in the living room.

In your sentence, we’re talking about her general practice, not which particular piano, so på piano is natural.

Could you say Hun spiller piano hver kveld når barna sover instead? What would be the difference?

Yes, that sentence is grammatically correct, but the nuance changes:

• Hun øver på piano ... – She practices the piano (implies exercises, learning, improving).
• Hun spiller piano ... – She plays the piano (could be for enjoyment or performance; not necessarily focusing on “practice” as training).

If you want to emphasize that she is working to get better, øver (på piano) is the better choice. If you just mean she usually plays piano at that time, spiller piano works.

What does hver kveld mean exactly, and where can it appear in the sentence?

hver kveld = every evening.

In this sentence, it’s placed after the verb phrase:

• Hun øver på piano hver kveld når barna sover.

You can move hver kveld for emphasis or style:

1. Hun øver på piano hver kveld når barna sover. (neutral, very natural)
2. Hun øver hver kveld på piano når barna sover. (also possible; slightly different rhythm)
3. Hver kveld øver hun på piano når barna sover. (emphasizes every evening; the time phrase is in front)

All are grammatical; the core meaning is the same. Position mainly changes what you emphasize.

What is the function of når here, and how is it different from da and mens?

Here når is a subordinating conjunction meaning when / whenever:

• når barna sover – when the children are sleeping or whenever the children sleep.

Difference from similar words:

• når
  
  • Used for present/future and for repeated, habitual actions in any tense.
  • Jeg leser når barna sover. – I read when the children sleep.
• da
  
  • Used for one specific time in the past.
  • Jeg leste da barna sov. – I read (that time) when the children were sleeping.
• mens
  
  • Means while; focuses on two actions happening at the same time.
  • Jeg leser mens barna sover. – I read while the children are sleeping.

In your sentence, når makes it clear this is a habitual situation (every evening, whenever the kids are asleep).

Why is the word order different in Hun øver ... and når barna sover?

Norwegian has different word order rules in main clauses and subordinate clauses:

1. Main clause:

   • Verb in second position (V2 rule)
   • Hun øver på piano ...
     
     • 1st element: Hun
     • 2nd element (finite verb): øver

2. Subordinate clause (introduced by når, at, fordi, etc.):

   • Usual order is Subject – Verb – Other (no V2)
   • når barna sover
     
     • Conjunction: når
     • Subject: barna
     • Verb: sover

So:

• Main clause: Hun øver ... (V2)
• Subordinate clause: når barna sover (no V2; verb follows the subject).

Why are both verbs in the present tense (øver, sover) if this is something she does repeatedly?

Norwegian present tense is used both for:

1. Current, ongoing actions

   • Hun øver nå. – She is practicing now.

2. Habitual or repeated actions

   • Hun øver hver kveld. – She practices every evening.
   • Barna sover klokka åtte. – The children sleep at eight (every day).

So øver and sover in your sentence describe a regular habit that happens in the present time frame. You don’t need a special “present continuous” form like in English. Context (hver kveld) tells you it’s habitual.

What exactly does barna mean, and how is it formed from barn?

barn is a bit special:

• et barn – a child
• barn – children (indefinite plural; same form as singular)
• barna – the children (definite plural)

So barna = the children.

Your clause når barna sover literally means “when the children sleep/are sleeping.”

There is no form barnene in normal Norwegian; barna is the correct definite plural.

Could you say når ungene sover instead of når barna sover? What’s the difference?

Yes, you can say:

• Hun øver på piano hver kveld når ungene sover.

ungene is the definite plural of unge (kid), and it sounds:

• more informal/colloquial,
• slightly more affectionate or everyday speech, depending on context.

barna is neutral and slightly more standard. Both are common in spoken Norwegian; choice depends on tone and style.

Is there any difference between når barna sover and mens barna sover here?

Both are possible, but there is a nuance:

• når barna sover – when the children sleep / whenever the children are sleeping
  
  • Focus on the time condition: once they’re asleep, that is the period she uses.
• mens barna sover – while the children are sleeping
  
  • Focus on simultaneity: her practicing and their sleeping happen at the same time.

In many contexts they can be used almost interchangeably, but mens highlights two overlapping actions, whereas når highlights the time point/period at which something happens.

How would the sentence change if I move the når‑clause to the front?

You get:

• Når barna sover, øver hun på piano hver kveld.

Two things to notice:

1. A comma is usually written after the subordinate clause.
2. Because Når barna sover is now the first element, the main clause must still obey the V2 rule: the verb øver comes right after the first element (Når barna sover), so the subject hun moves after the verb:

• Når barna sover, øver hun på piano ...
  (not: Når barna sover, hun øver på piano ...)

How would you say “She is practicing the piano right now, while the children are sleeping”?

Norwegian normally uses the simple present here too, often with nå to show “right now”:

• Hun øver på piano nå mens barna sover.

If you want to strongly emphasize the ongoing nature (similar to English “is practicing”), you can say:

• Hun holder på å øve på piano mens barna sover.

Both are correct; holder på å øve is closer to an explicit progressive form, but everyday speech very often just uses øver ... nå.