Datamaskinen er i bruk nå, så jeg kan ikke slå den av.

The computer is in use now, so I can’t turn it off.

Breakdown of Datamaskinen er i bruk nå, så jeg kan ikke slå den av.

• jeg: I
• være: to be
• nå: now
• den: it
• kunne: can
• ikke: not
• så: so
• slå av: to turn off
• datamaskinen: the computer
• i bruk: in use

Questions & Answers about Datamaskinen er i bruk nå, så jeg kan ikke slå den av.

Why is it datamaskinen and not en datamaskin?

Datamaskinen is the definite form (the computer), made by adding -en to the noun (datamaskin + -en).
You’d use en datamaskin if you mean a computer (not a specific one). In this sentence, it’s clearly a specific computer we already know about.

What does er i bruk mean, and why isn’t it just bruker?

er i bruk is an idiomatic phrase meaning is in use / is being used.
bruker would mean uses (active: the computer uses…), which doesn’t fit here.
If you want a single-verb alternative, you could say Datamaskinen brukes nå (The computer is being used now), but er i bruk is very common and natural.

Why is there a comma before så?

Because så here introduces a new main clause meaning so/therefore. In Norwegian, it’s standard to separate two main clauses with a comma when they’re linked this way:

• Datamaskinen er i bruk nå, så jeg kan ikke slå den av.
  You can also split it into two sentences:
• Datamaskinen er i bruk nå. Så jeg kan ikke slå den av. (less common as a standalone Så-sentence, but possible in informal style)

Does så always mean so?

No. Så has several common meanings depending on context, e.g.:

• so/therefore (as here): …, så jeg kan ikke …
• then/after that: Først spiser vi, så drar vi.
• so (degree): Det er så fint! (so nice!)
  Here it’s clearly the cause → result connector: so/therefore.

Why is the word order så jeg kan ikke… and not så kan jeg ikke…?

Both can be correct, but they mean slightly different things stylistically/structurally.

1) …, så jeg kan ikke slå den av.
This is the most straightforward: after så, you start a normal main clause with subject + verb.

2) …, så kan jeg ikke slå den av.
This has verb-second order with something other than the subject (here the connector så) in the first position, so the verb comes next (kan), then the subject (jeg). This is also grammatical and quite common.

So: both are fine; the given version is especially clear for learners.

Why is it kan ikke slå (no å)?

After modal verbs like kan (can), skal (shall/will), vil (want/will), må (must), bør (should), Norwegian normally uses the bare infinitive without å:

• Jeg kan ikke slå den av.
  Not: Jeg kan ikke å slå den av.

Where does ikke go, and could it be placed somewhere else?

In a main clause, ikke usually comes after the finite verb (here kan) and typically before the infinitive phrase:

• jeg kan ikke slå den av
  Putting ikke later can shift emphasis, but the neutral, standard placement is exactly what you see here.

Why do we say slå den av and not slå av den?

slå av is a common verb + particle meaning turn off. When the object is a pronoun (den, det, ham, etc.), Norwegian strongly prefers placing the pronoun between the verb and the particle:

• slå den av ✅
• slå av den sounds unnatural in most contexts (though slå av datamaskinen with a full noun is fine).

Compare:

• Jeg kan ikke slå av datamaskinen. (noun object)
• Jeg kan ikke slå den av. (pronoun object)

What does den refer to, and why is it den (not det)?

den refers back to datamaskinen (the computer).
In Bokmål, datamaskin is usually treated as a common gender noun (en-word), so the matching pronoun is den.

• en datamaskin → den
• et hus → det

In some dialects / varieties where feminine is used more, you might see different patterns with feminine nouns, but datamaskin is normally not feminine.

Why is nå placed after i bruk? Could it go elsewhere?

nå (now) is an adverb and can often move around. The placement here is natural and neutral:

• Datamaskinen er i bruk nå.

You could also say:

• Datamaskinen er nå i bruk. (a bit more formal/emphatic)
• Nå er datamaskinen i bruk. (emphasis on now, and triggers verb-second order)

All are grammatical; they just shift emphasis.

Is Datamaskinen the most common everyday word for computer?

It’s correct and common, but in everyday speech many people also say:

• PC-en (the PC)
• sometimes maskinen (the machine) if context is clear

So you might also hear:

• PC-en er i bruk nå, så jeg kan ikke slå den av.