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Vi tar vare på nøklene hennes ved å legge dem i en liten eske i gangen.

Vi tar vare på nøklene hennes ved å legge dem i en liten eske i gangen.
We take care of her keys by putting them in a small box in the hallway.

Breakdown of Vi tar vare på nøklene hennes ved å legge dem i en liten eske i gangen.

en
a
vi
we
liten
small
å
to
i
in
dem
them
legge
to put
esken
the box
nøkkelen
the key
ved
by
hennes
her
gangen
the hallway
ta vare på
to take care of
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Questions & Answers about Vi tar vare på nøklene hennes ved å legge dem i en liten eske i gangen.

Why does Norwegian say tar vare på instead of a single verb?

Ta vare på is a very common fixed expression meaning to take care of / look after / keep safe. It behaves like a verb phrase: tar (present of å ta) + vare + preposition på. You generally learn it as a chunk: å ta vare på noe.

What role does på play in ta vare på? Can I change it?

In this expression, på is part of the idiom and is not freely interchangeable. You say å ta vare på nøklene (not ta vare av etc.). If you change the preposition, it stops being the same expression.

Why is it nøklene and not nøkler?

nøklene is the definite plural: the keys.

  • en nøkkel = a key
  • nøkler = keys (indefinite plural)
  • nøklene = the keys (definite plural)

Norwegian often uses the definite form when referring to specific known items (here: her keys).

Why is the possessive hennes placed after the noun: nøklene hennes?

Norwegian commonly places possessives after the noun, especially in everyday style:

  • nøklene hennes = her keys (very natural)

You can also put the possessive in front, but then the noun is usually indefinite:

  • hennes nøkler = her keys (more neutral/formal or contrastive)

So nøklene hennes = the keys of hers / her (specific) keys.

Why do we use dem—what does it refer to, and why not de?

dem is the object pronoun them and refers back to nøklene.

  • de = they (subject)
  • dem = them (object)

Here the keys are the object of å legge (to put), so dem is required: å legge dem.

What does ved å + infinitive mean grammatically?

ved å + infinitive means by doing (something) and expresses method/means.
Here: ved å legge dem ... = by putting them ...

Structure:

  • ved
    • å
      • infinitive verb phrase
        Example: Jeg lærer norsk ved å lese. = I learn Norwegian by reading.
Why is it i en liten eske and not på en liten eske?

i is used for something being inside something: in a small box.
på would mean on top of something: on a box, which changes the meaning.

Why is it i gangen (definite) and not i en gang?

gangen is definite: the hallway. This usually implies a specific hallway already known from context (e.g., in their home).

  • en gang = a hallway
  • gangen = the hallway

Norwegian often uses the definite form where English might still say in the hallway or even just in a hallway, depending on context.

What is the word order in the part ved å legge dem i en liten eske i gangen?

A common Norwegian order is: 1) verb (legge)
2) object pronoun (dem)
3) place/direction phrases (i en liten eske, i gangen)

So: legge + dem + i en liten eske + i gangen.
This is very typical: pronoun objects often come early, right after the verb.

Could I replace ta vare på with passe på here?

Often yes, but the nuance can shift:

  • ta vare på focuses on keeping safe / taking care of / safeguarding
  • passe på focuses on watching / making sure / keeping an eye on

In a keys context, both can work, but ta vare på nøklene strongly suggests keeping them safe (storing them responsibly), which matches the rest of the sentence about putting them in a box.