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Rådgiveren i banken forklarer at lav rente gjør det lettere å nedbetale gjeld.

Rådgiveren i banken forklarer at lav rente gjør det lettere å nedbetale gjeld.
The advisor at the bank explains that a low interest rate makes it easier to pay off debt.
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Questions & Answers about Rådgiveren i banken forklarer at lav rente gjør det lettere å nedbetale gjeld.

Why is it rådgiveren and not en rådgiver?

Rådgiveren is the definite singular form: the adviser.

  • en rådgiver = an adviser / a (bank) adviser (indefinite)
  • rådgiveren = the adviser (a specific one, or “the adviser” in that context)

Norwegian often uses the definite form when referring to a role in a specific situation (e.g., “the adviser at the bank” in this scenario).

What does i banken mean here, and could it be på banken?

i banken literally means in the bank (inside the building / at the bank as an institution in a concrete sense).
på banken is also common and often more idiomatic for “at the bank” as a place/service.

Both can work, but i banken sounds a bit more like the adviser is physically in the bank (or “in the bank” as an organization). På banken can feel slightly more like “at the bank” as a location you go to.

Why is the verb forklarer in this form?

forklarer is the present tense of å forklare (to explain). Many Norwegian verbs form the present tense with -er:

  • å forklare → forklarer So the sentence is in the present: explains.
What is the role of at in the sentence?

at is a subordinating conjunction meaning that. It introduces a subordinate clause:

  • Main clause: Rådgiveren i banken forklarer
  • Subordinate clause: at lav rente gjør det lettere å nedbetale gjeld

In Norwegian, using at is very common (often more frequent than “that” in English, which can be omitted).

Why is the word order lav rente gjør and not something like gjør lav rente?

Because after at, you’re in a subordinate clause, and Norwegian uses normal (SVO) word order there:

  • lav rente (subject) + gjør (verb) + det lettere (object/complement)

In main clauses, Norwegian often uses V2 word order (verb in the second position), but in subordinate clauses introduced by at, the verb does not move to the second position.

Why is it lav rente (singular) and not lave renter (plural)?

Both are possible depending on meaning:

  • lav rente (singular) often refers to the interest rate level in general (the rate being low).
  • lave renter (plural) can emphasize interest rates in a broader sense (e.g., different rates, or rates over time, or a general plural concept).

In many financial contexts, Norwegian comfortably uses the singular rente to mean “(the) interest rate”.

Why is it gjør and not gjører?

gjør is an irregular present tense form of å gjøre (to do / to make):

  • infinitive: å gjøre
  • present: gjør
  • past: gjorde So it doesn’t follow the regular -er pattern.
What is the function of det in gjør det lettere? What does it refer to?

Here det is a dummy/anticipatory object (similar to English it in “make it easier to…”). It doesn’t refer to a specific noun.

The pattern is very common:

  • gjøre det + adjective + å + infinitive Example:
  • Dette gjør det vanskelig å sove. = This makes it hard to sleep.

So gjør det lettere å nedbetale ... = makes it easier to pay off ...

Why is lettere used instead of lett?

lettere is the comparative form of lett (easy):

  • lett = easy
  • lettere = easier

In Norwegian, this construction typically uses the comparative: gjør det lettere å ... = “makes it easier to …”, even when English might not strongly emphasize comparison.

Why is there å before nedbetale?

å is the Norwegian infinitive marker, like English to:

  • å nedbetale = to pay off

After adjectives like lettere, Norwegian commonly uses å + infinitive to express what is easier/harder/etc. to do.

What’s the difference between nedbetale gjeld and betale ned gjeld?

They mean essentially the same thing: to pay down / pay off debt.

  • å nedbetale is a single verb meaning “to pay off gradually”.
  • å betale ned is a verb + particle construction, also very common.

Both are natural; choice is mostly stylistic. In some contexts, nedbetale can sound a bit more formal/financial.

Why is it gjeld and not gjelden?

gjeld is “debt” in a general/uncountable sense: debt as a concept or category.
gjelden would be the debt, typically referring to a specific, known debt.

So:

  • nedbetale gjeld = pay off debt (in general / debt one has)
  • nedbetale gjelden = pay off the debt (a specific debt we’re talking about)
How would the pronunciation of å and ø in this sentence work (e.g., gjør, å nedbetale)?
  • å (the infinitive marker) is pronounced like a long “aw” sound in many dialects (roughly like “awe”), but pronunciation varies by dialect.
  • ø (as in gjør) is a rounded vowel not found in English; it’s similar to the vowel in French peur or German schön (but not identical). In gjør, the vowel is short.

A practical tip: keep lips rounded (as if saying “oh”) but try to say “eh” inside that shape.