Det høres ut som en god idé.

It sounds like a good idea.

Breakdown of Det høres ut som en god idé.

• en: a
• det: it
• god: good
• ideen: the idea
• som: like
• høres ut: to sound

Questions & Answers about Det høres ut som en god idé.

Why do we need det at the beginning? Could we just say Høres ut som en god idé?

You need det because Norwegian normally requires a subject in finite clauses, just like English does.
Here det is a dummy subject (like it in It sounds like a good idea).
Saying Høres ut som en god idé without det sounds incomplete or very non‑standard in normal speech.

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What exactly does høres ut mean, and how is it different from just høres?

The verb høre means to hear, and høres is its passive/mediopassive form, which often translates as sounds.

• Det høres ut literally: It is heard out / It sounds out, but idiomatically just It sounds.
• In practice, Det høres ut som … = It sounds like …
  You can say Det høres bra ut (It sounds good) without som, but when you compare with a noun phrase (like a good idea), you normally use høres ut som.

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Why do we use som here, and what does it do?

Som here means like / as and introduces what you’re comparing the sound to.
Det høres ut som en god idé = It sounds like a good idea.
Structure:

• Det (dummy subject)
• høres ut (verb phrase: sounds)
• som (comparison word: like)
• en god idé (what it sounds like).

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What’s the function of ut in høres ut, and can it be left out?

Ut literally means out, but in this phrase it’s mostly idiomatic.

• Det høres ut som … is the normal way to say It sounds like … when followed by som + something.
  If you remove ut and say Det høres som en god idé, it sounds odd or non‑native in modern Norwegian; people expect høres ut som.

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Why is it en god idé and not something like ei god idé or et god idé?

The noun idé (idea) is masculine in Bokmål, so its indefinite article is en: en idé.
You cannot use et with idé, and ei idé would be considered wrong or at least very non‑standard in Bokmål.
So:

• en idé – a(n) idea
• idéen – the idea

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Is there a difference between god idé and bra idé?

Both are understandable, but god idé is the standard, most natural collocation.
Norwegians usually say en god idé rather than en bra idé.
In general, god often feels a bit more “proper” or “solid”, while bra is very common in everyday speech, but with idé, god idé is the fixed, idiomatic choice.

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Why is there an accent in idé? Can I write ide instead?

Standard Bokmål spelling uses the accent: idé.
Writing ide without the accent is common in informal contexts (like texting) and will be understood, but it’s not the correct standard spelling.
In formal writing, stick to idé.

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What tense is høres here, and how do I say It sounded like a good idea?

Høres is present tense (in this passive/mediopassive form).
To put it in the past, you use hørtes:

• Det høres ut som en god idé. – It sounds like a good idea.
• Det hørtes ut som en god idé. – It sounded like a good idea.

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How would I negate this sentence? Where does ikke go?

The normal negated form is:
Det høres ikke ut som en god idé. – It doesn’t sound like a good idea.
So the order is: Det + høres + ikke + ut + som …
Putting ikke after ut (Det høres ut ikke som …) is ungrammatical.

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Could I say Det høres godt ut instead, and what’s the difference?

Yes, Det høres godt ut is correct, but it means It sounds good, not It sounds like a good idea.

• Det høres ut som en god idé. – compares to a specific thing (a good idea).
• Det høres godt/bra ut. – a more general reaction: That sounds good / nice.

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What’s the difference between Det høres ut som en god idé and Det virker som en god idé?

Both can be translated as It seems like a good idea, but they focus on slightly different things:

• Det høres ut som en god idé – focuses on what has been said/heard, or on your reaction to a proposal you just heard.
• Det virker som en god idé – more like It appears/seems like a good idea based on information, facts, or reasoning, not specifically sound/what was said.

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Is høres really a passive form? Why does a passive form mean sounds?

Yes. Høres is the passive/mediopassive of høre (to hear).
Historically, Det høres ut … is something like It is heard out …, which naturally developed the meaning It sounds ….
Norwegian often uses this -s form (mediopassive) with verbs of perception and feeling in ways that correspond to English looks/feels/smells/sounds:

• Det ser bra ut. – It looks good.
• Det høres bra ut. – It sounds good.