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Questions & Answers about Timebestillingen må endres hvis passet utløper før reisen.
Why does it say timebestillingen and not just en timebestilling?
Because timebestillingen is the definite form (the appointment/booking). In Norwegian it’s very common to use the definite form when referring to a specific, known appointment (for example, one you’ve already made).
- en timebestilling = an appointment booking (not specified)
- timebestillingen = the appointment booking (a particular one)
What does the ending -en in timebestillingen mean?
-en is the definite singular ending for many masculine nouns (and some common-gender nouns) in Bokmål. It corresponds to English the. The noun is:
- en timebestilling (indefinite) → timebestillingen (definite)
Is timebestilling a compound word? How should I understand it?
Yes. timebestilling is a compound: time (appointment/time slot) + bestilling (booking/order). Norwegian makes compounds very freely, and the last part decides the grammatical gender and endings. Here, bestilling is the “head,” so the word behaves like bestilling.
Why is it må endres—is that passive?
Yes. må endres is a passive meaning must be changed. Norwegian often uses a passive without an explicit subject like by someone when the doer is obvious or irrelevant.
How would I say the same thing in an active sentence?
You can make the agent explicit, for example:
- Vi må endre timebestillingen hvis passet utløper før reisen. (We must change the appointment…)
Or keep it general: - Man må endre timebestillingen hvis passet utløper før reisen. (One must change…)
Why is the verb endres and not endre?
endre is the infinitive (to change). endres is the passive form (be changed). After må, you normally use an infinitive-like form, and with passive you get må + passiv:
- active: må endre (must change)
- passive: må endres (must be changed)
Is endres the same as forandres?
They overlap, but endre/endres is the most neutral and common for practical changes (appointments, plans, settings). forandre/forandres can sound a bit stronger or more “transforming,” though it’s also used in everyday speech. Here, endres is the natural choice.
Why is the word order hvis passet utløper and not something like hvis utløper passet?
In the hvis-clause (a subordinate clause), Norwegian usually has subject before verb (unlike main-clause V2 word order). So you get:
- hvis passet utløper (if the passport expires)
not hvis utløper passet, which would sound incorrect in standard Bokmål.
Why is it passet (definite) and not et pass?
Because it refers to a specific passport (the traveler’s passport), so Norwegian typically uses the definite form: passet = the passport. Using et pass would sound more like “a passport (any passport)” unless the context clearly introduces it as new information.
Why is utløper in the present tense when it’s about the future?
Norwegian commonly uses the present tense for future situations when the time is clear from context (here: before the trip). So utløper can mean expires (in the future).
Why does it say før reisen and not før reise?
reise is countable here, so you normally refer to a specific trip with the definite form: reisen = the trip/journey. før reise is uncommon in this meaning; it would sound more like an abstract heading or a very shortened style.
Can I also say før du reiser instead of før reisen?
Yes, and it’s very natural if you want to focus on the action rather than the noun:
- … hvis passet utløper før du reiser. (… if the passport expires before you travel/leave.)
Both are correct; før reisen is slightly more “formal/document-like,” while før du reiser is more conversational.
