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Oppvaskmiddelet lukter sterkt, så hun skyller alt godt og bruker lite oppvaskmiddel.

Oppvaskmiddelet lukter sterkt, så hun skyller alt godt og bruker lite oppvaskmiddel.
The dish soap smells strong, so she rinses everything well and uses little dish soap.

Breakdown of Oppvaskmiddelet lukter sterkt, så hun skyller alt godt og bruker lite oppvaskmiddel.

hun
she
og
and
så
so
alt
everything
bruke
to use
sterk
strong
lite
little
lukte
to smell
godt
well
oppvaskmiddelet
the dish soap
skylle
to rinse
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Questions & Answers about Oppvaskmiddelet lukter sterkt, så hun skyller alt godt og bruker lite oppvaskmiddel.

Why is it oppvaskmiddelet and not et oppvaskmiddel?

Oppvaskmiddelet is the definite form: oppvaskmiddel + -et = the dish soap (a specific one known in context, e.g., the one she’s using).
If you introduced it for the first time or meant “some dish soap (any)”, you could use the indefinite: et oppvaskmiddel.

How is oppvaskmiddelet built, and why is it so long?

It’s a compound + definite ending:

  • oppvask = washing dishes (literally “up-wash”, i.e. dishwashing)
  • middel = agent/product (“means”, “substance”)
  • -et = definite singular for many neuter nouns

So oppvaskmiddel = dishwashing liquid / dish soap, and oppvaskmiddelet = the dish soap.

Does lukter mean “smells (nice)” or “stinks”?

Lukter is neutral: it means smells (has a smell), not necessarily pleasant or unpleasant.
If you want to clearly say it smells bad, Norwegian often uses:

  • stinker = stinks
  • lukter vondt = smells bad
    Here, lukter sterkt mainly means it has a strong smell.
Why is it lukter sterkt and not lukter sterk?

Because sterkt here is an adverb modifying the verb lukter (how it smells), so you use the adverb form:

  • sterk = adjective (“strong” as a property of a noun)
  • sterkt = adverb (“strongly”)

Compare:

  • en sterk lukt = a strong smell (adjective + noun)
  • det lukter sterkt = it smells strongly (verb + adverb)
What does så mean here, and is it the same as “so” in English?

Here så means so / therefore, showing a result: strong smell → she rinses well and uses little.
It’s functioning as a coordinating connector (linking two main clauses). It’s close to English “so”, but Norwegian also uses derfor (“therefore”) a lot.

Why is there a comma before så?

Because it separates two main clauses: 1) Oppvaskmiddelet lukter sterkt
2) hun skyller alt godt og bruker lite oppvaskmiddel

In Norwegian, when you connect two independent clauses with så meaning “therefore/so”, a comma is standard.

Is the word order after så special? Shouldn’t the verb come first?

Not here. After så (meaning “so/therefore” as a coordinator), the next clause has normal main-clause word order:

  • hun skyller ... (subject + verb)

Inversion (verb before subject) typically happens when something other than the subject is placed first in a main clause (V2), e.g.:

  • Derfor skyller hun alt godt. (Therefore rinses she everything well.)
Why is hun only written once even though there are two verbs (skyller and bruker)?

Because skyller and bruker are coordinated with og and share the same subject hun:

  • hun skyller ... og (hun) bruker ...

Repeating hun is possible for emphasis/clarity, but usually unnecessary.

What’s the difference between skyller and vasker?
  • å skylle = to rinse (usually with water, to remove soap/residue)
  • å vaske = to wash/clean (the main cleaning action, often with soap)

So hun skyller alt godt means she rinses everything thoroughly (after washing).

Why is it alt and not alle?

Alt is used for “everything” as a total, often when you mean the whole set in a general way.
Alle is used for plural countable nouns (“all [the] plates”, “all people”), often with an explicit noun:

  • hun skyller alt = she rinses everything
  • hun skyller alle tallerkenene = she rinses all the plates

Here, alt stands in for “everything (she washed)”.

Why is it godt in skyller alt godt?

Godt is an adverb meaning well/thoroughly (how she rinses).
It’s the adverb form of god:

  • god (adj.) = good
  • godt (adv.) = well
What does lite oppvaskmiddel mean, and why not litt?

Both can be translated as “a little,” but they differ in feel:

  • lite often means little / not much (emphasizing small amount)
  • litt means a little / some (often more neutral, sometimes positive)

So bruker lite oppvaskmiddel suggests she uses very little dish soap (likely because it smells strong).

Why is it oppvaskmiddel (no definite ending) at the end, but oppvaskmiddelet at the start?

At the start, it refers to a specific soap: the dish soap she has.
At the end, oppvaskmiddel is used as a mass/uncountable substance in a general sense (“dish soap” as a product), and with lite you typically keep it indefinite:

  • lite oppvaskmiddel = little dish soap (a small amount of the substance)

You can say lite av oppvaskmiddelet if you mean “little of that specific soap,” but the given sentence reads more general/natural.

How do you pronounce oppvaskmiddelet and skyller (roughly)?

A rough guide (varies by dialect):

  • oppvaskmiddelet: OPP-vask-MID-de-let (stress often on MID in middel)
  • skyller: starts with sky- like a Norwegian front rounded vowel (similar to German ü), roughly SHÜL-ler in some accents

Also note:

  • skyller comes from å skylle (rinse)
  • Don’t confuse with å skylde (owe / be due to) in writing.