I gangen henges det opp en plakat om konkurransen.

In the hallway a poster about the competition is hung up.

Breakdown of I gangen henges det opp en plakat om konkurransen.

• en: a
• om: about
• i: in
• det: there
• henge opp: to hang up
• gangen: the hallway
• konkurransen: the competition
• plakaten: the poster

Questions & Answers about I gangen henges det opp en plakat om konkurransen.

What does I gangen literally mean, and why is it i and not på?

I gangen literally means in the hallway (or in the corridor).

• gang = hallway / corridor
• gangen = the hallway (definite form)
• i = in

In Norwegian, you normally use i with rooms and enclosed spaces:

• i gangen – in the hallway
• i stua – in the living room
• i klasserommet – in the classroom

På is often used for more open, surface‑like, or “area” locations:

• på kjøkkenet – in the kitchen (an exception where på is idiomatic)
• på skolen – at school
• på kontoret – at the office

For gang, the natural preposition is i, so i gangen is the usual choice.

Why does the sentence start with I gangen and not with the subject?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 word order rule: the finite verb (here: henges) must come in second position, but the first position can be almost anything (subject, time, place, etc.).

In this sentence:

1. I gangen – fronted place phrase (position 1)
2. henges – finite verb (position 2)
3. det – subject (position 3)
4. opp en plakat om konkurransen – the rest

You could also say:

• Det henges opp en plakat om konkurransen i gangen.
• En plakat om konkurransen henges opp i gangen.

All of these are grammatically correct; they just emphasize different things. Starting with I gangen puts focus on where this is happening.

What is the function of det in henges det opp?

Here det is a dummy subject (also called an expletive or formal subject). It doesn’t refer to anything concrete; it’s there to satisfy Norwegian word‑order/subject requirements.

In passive constructions like this, especially when we introduce something new (like en plakat), Norwegian often uses det:

• Det henges opp en plakat. – A poster is being put up.
• Det kom en mann inn døra. – A man came in the door.

In English you often use there in similar situations:

• There is a poster being put up in the hallway.

Later in the sentence en plakat is the logical subject (what is being hung up), but grammatically it appears after the verb and det sits in the subject slot.

What is the difference between henges opp and henger?

Both come from the verb å henge, but they are used differently:

1. henger – usually describes a state (something is hanging):

   • Plakaten henger i gangen. – The poster is hanging in the hallway.
   • Focus: it’s already up, describing its position.

2. henge opp – describes an action (to put something up so that it hangs):

   • Jeg henger opp en plakat. – I am hanging up a poster.
   • Focus: the act of putting it up.

3. henges opp is the passive of henge opp:

   • En plakat henges opp i gangen. – A poster is (being) hung up in the hallway.

So in I gangen henges det opp en plakat, the meaning is about the action of putting up a poster, not about it already hanging there.

What kind of passive is henges, and could you say blir hengt opp instead?

Henges is the -s passive (also called the morphological passive). You form it by adding -s to the verb:

• henge (opp) → henges (opp)
• å skrive (to write) → brevet skrives (the letter is being written)
• å vaske (to wash) → klærne vaskes (the clothes are washed)

You can almost always replace this with a “blir + past participle” passive:

• I gangen henges det opp en plakat om konkurransen.
• I gangen blir det hengt opp en plakat om konkurransen.

Both are correct. The blir + participle form can sometimes sound a bit more event‑like or specific, but here the difference is small. Everyday Norwegian uses both, and which one you choose is often a matter of style and rhythm.

Why is it en plakat (indefinite) but konkurransen (definite)?

This reflects what is new information vs. known/specific information:

• en plakat = a poster → new, not yet identified for the listener.
• konkurransen = the competition → assumed to be known or previously mentioned.

So the sentence assumes:

• The listener already knows which competition is being talked about (the competition).
• The poster itself is being introduced for the first time (a poster).

If it were some random, non‑specific competition, you could say:

• en plakat om en konkurranse – a poster about a competition (some competition or other, not a specific one you both know).

Using the definite form konkurransen tells us it’s a particular, identifiable competition.

What does om konkurransen mean, and how is om used here?

Om konkurransen means about the competition.

The preposition om can mean about when talking about the topic or subject of something:

• en film om krigen – a movie about the war
• en bok om Norge – a book about Norway
• et møte om budsjettet – a meeting about the budget

So:

• en plakat om konkurransen = a poster about the competition (information, advertisement, rules, etc.)

Could you move om konkurransen to another place in the sentence?

Yes. Norwegian word order is fairly flexible for phrases like om konkurransen, as long as the V2 rule (verb in second position) is respected.

All of these are acceptable:

• I gangen henges det opp en plakat om konkurransen.
• I gangen henges det opp om konkurransen en plakat. (possible, but sounds awkward and unnatural)
• Det henges opp en plakat om konkurransen i gangen.
• En plakat om konkurransen henges opp i gangen.

Most natural are versions where om konkurransen stays close to plakat, because it describes what kind of poster it is:

• … en plakat om konkurransen … is the best and most idiomatic placement.

What tense is henges, and does it refer to present or future?

Henges is in the present tense.

However, Norwegian present tense can refer to:

1. Something happening right now

   • Nå henges det opp en plakat i gangen. – Right now, a poster is being put up.

2. Regular or habitual actions

   • Hver uke henges det opp nye plakater i gangen. – Every week, new posters are put up.

3. Scheduled or near‑future events, especially with a time expression

   • I morgen henges det opp en plakat i gangen. – Tomorrow, a poster will be put up in the hallway.

Without extra context, I gangen henges det opp en plakat om konkurransen most naturally sounds like either something happening now or part of a general description of what (typically) happens there.

How would you say this in an active sentence instead of passive?

An active version needs an agent (someone who does the action). For example:

• Noen henger opp en plakat om konkurransen i gangen.
  – Someone is hanging up a poster about the competition in the hallway.

• Vi henger opp en plakat om konkurransen i gangen.
  – We are hanging up a poster about the competition in the hallway.

• Læreren henger opp en plakat om konkurransen i gangen.
  – The teacher is hanging up a poster about the competition in the hallway.

The original passive I gangen henges det opp en plakat om konkurransen leaves the agent unspecified, which is typical when who is doing it is unimportant or unknown.