Jeg føler meg annerledes i dag.

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Breakdown of Jeg føler meg annerledes i dag.

• i dag: today
• føle seg: to feel
• annerledes: different

Questions & Answers about Jeg føler meg annerledes i dag.

Why do we say jeg føler meg and not just jeg føler?

In Norwegian, when feel means “feel (emotionally/physically) in myself”, the verb is normally å føle seg (a reflexive verb).

• jeg føler meg = I feel (myself), i.e. I feel… (emotion/condition).
• jeg føler on its own sounds incomplete and usually expects an object:
  • Jeg føler kulden. = I feel the cold.
  • Jeg føler smerte. = I feel pain.

So in Jeg føler meg annerledes i dag, meg is required because the verb is used reflexively: I feel different (in myself) today.

What exactly is meg doing here? Is it reflexive, and why not meg selv?