Kan du trekke ut støpselet fra stikkontakten før du legger deg?

Can you unplug the plug from the outlet before you go to bed?

Breakdown of Kan du trekke ut støpselet fra stikkontakten før du legger deg?

• du: you
• fra: from
• kunne: can
• før: before
• legge seg: to go to bed
• trekke ut: to unplug
• støpselet: the plug
• stikkontakten: the outlet

Questions & Answers about Kan du trekke ut støpselet fra stikkontakten før du legger deg?

Why does the sentence start with Kan du …? instead of Du kan …?

Starting with Kan du …? is the standard way to form a yes/no question in Norwegian: the finite verb (kan) comes first, then the subject (du).
Du kan …? can exist, but it often sounds more like a statement with questioning intonation (or it can feel more informal/marked).

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What exactly is kan doing here?

Kan is the present tense of å kunne (to be able to / can). In requests, Kan du …? commonly functions like English Could you …? / Can you …?
It’s a polite, normal way to ask someone to do something.

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Is trekke ut one verb or two words, and why?

It’s a verb + particle construction: å trekke ut = to pull out / unplug.
Norwegian often uses a main verb plus a small particle like ut (out), similar to English phrasal verbs (pull out, take off, etc.).

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Where does the object go with trekke ut? Could it be trekke støpselet ut?

Yes, both are possible:

• trekke ut støpselet
• trekke støpselet ut

Both mean the same. The second pattern (object between verb and particle) is very common when the object is a noun phrase like støpselet.

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Why is it støpselet and not just støpsel?

Støpselet is the definite form: the plug. Norwegian often uses the definite form where English might use the or even no article, especially when talking about a specific, known item (like the plug of a device you’re both aware of).

• et støpsel = a plug (indefinite)
• støpselet = the plug (definite)

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Why is it stikkontakten and not stikkontakt?

Same reason: stikkontakten is the definite form the socket/outlet.

• en stikkontakt = an outlet
• stikkontakten = the outlet

Also note the gender difference: støpsel is neuter (et), while stikkontakt is common gender (en), which affects the definite ending (-et vs -en).

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What does fra mean here, and could I use av instead?

Fra means from, describing movement away: out of the socket.
Av can sometimes mean off/from in other contexts, but here fra stikkontakten is the natural choice. You’re removing something from inside/connected to something.

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Why is før followed by du legger deg (a full clause) instead of an infinitive?

Før can introduce:

1) a clause: før du legger deg = before you go to bed
2) sometimes a noun phrase: før leggetid = before bedtime

Using a full clause with du is very common and clear.

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What does legger deg literally mean, and why is there deg?

å legge seg literally means to lay oneself (down), and idiomatically it means to go to bed.
Because the verb is reflexive, it uses a reflexive pronoun:

• jeg legger meg
• du legger deg
• han/hun legger seg
• vi legger oss
• dere legger dere
• de legger seg

So deg matches du.

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Why is du repeated: før du legger deg? Can I leave the second du out?

You normally must include it. Før du legger deg is a subordinate clause with its own subject (du) and verb (legger).
You can’t generally drop the subject the way you might in some other languages.

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Is this sentence polite, and are there more polite alternatives?

It’s neutral and perfectly polite in everyday speech. Alternatives include:

• Kan du være så snill å trekke ut støpselet …? (a bit more explicitly polite)
• Kunne du trekke ut støpselet …? (often feels slightly softer, like Could you…?)
• Vil du trekke ut støpselet …? (more like Would you…?)

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Are støpsel and plugg interchangeable?

Often yes in casual speech: støpsel and plugg can both refer to a plug.
Støpsel is very standard; plugg is also common, and sometimes people say støpsel for the plug and kontakt / stikkontakt for the outlet. Usage can vary by region and context.