Breakdown of Jeg går raskere når jeg er sent ute.
jeg
I
være
to be
gå
to walk
når
when
raskere
faster
sent ute
running late
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Questions & Answers about Jeg går raskere når jeg er sent ute.
Why does går mean both walk and go here? How should I interpret it?
The verb å gå covers a wider range than English to walk. It can mean:
- walk (move on foot): Jeg går = I walk / I’m walking
- go (leave / be on the way), depending on context: Jeg går nå = I’m leaving now In this sentence, it most naturally means you walk/move faster when you’re running late, but the key idea is increased speed, not the exact mode of movement.
Why is it Jeg går (present tense)? Is it present, habitual, or “right now”?
Norwegian present tense often covers both:
- habitual/general truth: I (tend to) walk faster when…
- current situation (with context): I’m walking faster when… Without extra time words, this sentence is usually read as a general pattern/habit.
How is raskere formed, and what does it correspond to in English?
Raskere is the comparative of rask (fast/quick):
- rask = fast
- raskere = faster
- raskest = fastest
Many Norwegian adjectives form the comparative with -ere.
Is raskere an adjective or an adverb here?
Functionally it’s acting like an adverb because it modifies the verb går (how you walk/go). In Norwegian, many adjectives and adverbs share the same form, especially in comparatives, so raskere works neatly as faster here.
Why is når used? How is it different from da or hvis?
- når = when in the sense of whenever / at the times that (repeated or general situations)
- da = when referring to a specific time in the past (often “that time when”)
- hvis = if (condition)
Because this sentence describes a general pattern, når is the natural choice.
Why is the word order når jeg er… and not something like når er jeg…?
After a subordinating conjunction like når, Norwegian uses normal subject–verb order in the subordinate clause:
- når jeg er sent ute (conjunction + subject + verb)
In main-clause questions you might see inversion (Er jeg…?), but this is not a question clause.
Why do we repeat jeg twice?
Because you have two clauses, and each clause needs its own subject:
- Main clause: Jeg går raskere
- Subordinate clause: når jeg er sent ute
Norwegian doesn’t normally drop the subject the way some languages do.
What exactly does sent ute mean? Is it literally “late out”?
Yes, literally it’s like late out, but idiomatically å være sent ute means:
- to be late
- to be running late
- sometimes to be too late (depending on context)
It’s a very common everyday expression.
Why do we use er (to be) with sent ute?
Å være sent ute is a set phrase where sent ute functions like an adjective phrase describing your state. Norwegian commonly uses å være + description:
- Jeg er trøtt = I’m tired
- Jeg er sent ute = I’m running late
Is the comma before når required?
In standard Norwegian writing, it’s normal to put a comma before a subordinate clause introduced by når:
- Jeg går raskere, når jeg er sent ute.
Many writers also omit the comma in short, simple sentences, but keeping it is the safest “schoolbook” option. (You’ll also see the alternative order with a comma: Når jeg er sent ute, går jeg raskere.)