Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg liker å bo i en stor by.

So after Jeg liker (I like), you must use the infinitive: Jeg liker å bo … (I like to live / I like living …), not Jeg liker bor ….

What exactly does å mean here?

å is the infinitive marker, similar to English to in to live, to eat, to read.

In å bo, å doesn’t mean “to” in the sense of direction; it just shows that bo is in the infinitive form.

You use å + infinitive after many verbs of liking, wanting, starting, etc., such as:

Jeg liker å lese. – I like to read.
Jeg begynner å jobbe klokka åtte. – I start working at eight.

Could you also say Jeg liker å bor?

No. That’s incorrect.

You can have either:

Infinitive: å bo
Finite present tense: bor

You cannot combine them like å bor. After å, the verb must be in infinitive form: å bo.

Why is it bo and not if both mean “to live”?