Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg kan ikke håndtere dette alene.

In main clauses, Norwegian normally places the negation ikke after the finite verb (the verb that is “conjugated” for tense/person). Here the finite verb is the modal kan (present tense of å kunne), so you get:

Jeg kan ikke
- infinitive phrase

Putting ikke after håndtere is possible only in special cases (for contrast or emphasis), but the neutral, most common word order is Jeg kan ikke håndtere ....

Why doesn’t the sentence use å before håndtere?

After modal verbs like kan, vil, må, skal, bør, Norwegian uses the infinitive without å:

Jeg kan håndtere ... (correct)
Jeg kan å håndtere ... (incorrect)

So håndtere is an infinitive here, but it’s a bare infinitive because it follows a modal.

Is kan best translated as can, am able to, or know how to?

Kan can cover several English ideas depending on context:

ability/capacity: I can / I’m able to
knowledge/skill: I know how to
sometimes permission (less common in careful usage; many prefer får for permission)

In Jeg kan ikke håndtere dette alene, kan mainly expresses ability/capacity: not being able to manage it alone.

What does håndtere sound like, and what should I watch out for in pronunciation?

Key pronunciation points:

å in håndtere is typically like an “aw” sound (varies by dialect).
nd in hånd- is pronounced; the d is usually quite light.
Stress is usually on the first syllable: HÅND-tere.

Also note the letter å is its own vowel in Norwegian (not a + accent), and it affects sorting/alphabet order too.

Could I use klare instead of håndtere?

Often yes, but there’s a nuance:

håndtere = handle/manage (deal with), often about coping with a situation/problem.
klare = manage/succeed (pull it off), often about being able to do it.

So:

Jeg kan ikke håndtere dette alene = I can’t cope/deal with this alone.
Jeg klarer ikke dette alene = I can’t manage this alone / I can’t do this alone.

Both are common; klarer ikke is very everyday and natural.

Why is it dette and not det?

Both can mean it/that/this, but:

dette is often used when you’re referring to something more specific/pointed out (this thing, this situation), and it can feel slightly more explicit than det.
det is very common for a general it/that, especially when the reference is already clear.

In many contexts, both work:

Jeg kan ikke håndtere dette alene (this specific situation/task)
Jeg kan ikke håndtere det alene (it, in general)

What does alene modify, and can it move around in the sentence?

alene means alone / by myself, and it modifies the idea of handling it without help.

Position:

Jeg kan ikke håndtere dette alene. (very natural)
Jeg kan ikke alene håndtere dette. (possible but more marked/stylistic)
Alene kan jeg ikke håndtere dette. (fronting alene for emphasis; note the verb-second word order)

So yes, you can move it, but the original sentence is the neutral default.

Is Jeg kan ikke håndtere dette alene more like “I can’t” (ability) or “I won’t” (refusal)?

It’s strongly ability/capacity: you’re saying you’re not able to deal with it alone.

For refusal/choice, Norwegian would typically use something like:

Jeg vil ikke håndtere dette alene = I don’t want to handle this alone
Jeg nekter å håndtere dette alene = I refuse to handle this alone

How would the word order change in a subordinate clause?

In subordinate clauses, ikke typically comes before the finite verb. Compare:

Main clause:

Jeg kan ikke håndtere dette alene.

Subordinate clause (after e.g. fordi = because):

... fordi jeg ikke kan håndtere dette alene.

So ikke shifts left in subordinate clauses.

Can I drop Jeg and just say Kan ikke håndtere dette alene?

In standard written Norwegian, you normally keep the subject: Jeg.

In informal speech, people sometimes drop the subject (especially in quick replies), but it can sound abrupt or fragment-like. More natural short answers might be:

Jeg kan ikke.
Det går ikke alene. (depends on context)
Jeg klarer det ikke alene.

Are there more idiomatic alternatives to express “on my own”?

Yes. Besides alene, you’ll also see:

på egen hånd = on my own / independently
Jeg kan ikke håndtere dette på egen hånd.
selv can also appear, but it’s used differently and often for emphasis: Jeg kan ikke håndtere dette selv. (often implies without others doing it for me)

alene is the most direct “alone/by myself” option.