Etter en lang busstur er jeg ofte trøtt når jeg kommer hjem.

After a long bus ride I am often tired when I get home.

Breakdown of Etter en lang busstur er jeg ofte trøtt når jeg kommer hjem.

• jeg: I
• være: to be
• en: a
• komme: to come

Questions & Answers about Etter en lang busstur er jeg ofte trøtt når jeg kommer hjem.

Why is the word order “er jeg” instead of “jeg er” after “Etter en lang busstur”?

Norwegian has a V2 word order rule (verb-second), similar to German.

In a main clause, the finite verb must be in the second position, no matter what comes first.

• Neutral word order: Jeg er ofte trøtt. – I am often tired.
  (1st: jeg, 2nd: er)

• When you move an adverbial to the front:
  Etter en lang busstur er jeg ofte trøtt. – After a long bus ride I am often tired.
  (1st: Etter en lang busstur, 2nd: er, then the subject jeg)

So because “Etter en lang busstur” is put first, “er” has to come second, and “jeg” is pushed to third position. You cannot say “Etter en lang busstur jeg er ofte trøtt” in standard Norwegian; that breaks the V2 rule.

Why “etter en lang busstur” and not “etter at jeg har tatt en lang busstur” or just “etter en lang buss”?