Det er for langt til sentrum, så vi tar bussen.

In Det er for langt til sentrum, det is a dummy subject. Norwegian often uses det er ... in the same way English uses it is ... in sentences like:

• It is cold
• It is far
• It is late

So here, det does not refer to a specific thing. It just fills the subject position.

Because the adjective is used in the form that fits det er ... expressions.

In Norwegian, adjectives often change form depending on gender and grammar pattern. With det er, you very often get the -t form:

• Det er fint = It is nice
• Det er kaldt = It is cold
• Det er langt = It is far

So langt is the correct form here.

Here, for means too, not for in the English sense.

So:

• for langt = too far
• for dyrt = too expensive
• for vanskelig = too difficult

This is a very common use of for in Norwegian.

til means to, and sentrum means the city center / town center / downtown area depending on context.

So til sentrum means:

• to the city center
• or more naturally in English, to town

In Norwegian, sentrum often appears without an article in expressions like this.

Because sentrum is often used as a kind of fixed location word, especially after prepositions.

So Norwegian commonly says:

• i sentrum = in the city center
• til sentrum = to the city center
• fra sentrum = from the city center

Even though English usually says the city center, Norwegian often just uses sentrum by itself.

så means so in the sense of therefore / as a result.

The sentence has two parts:

• Det er for langt til sentrum
• så vi tar bussen

So the second part is the result of the first:

• It is too far to the city center,
• so we take the bus.

Because så here is acting as a coordinating conjunction, like English so.

After a coordinating conjunction, Norwegian usually keeps normal main clause word order:

• så vi tar bussen
• og vi går hjem
• men han kommer ikke

That means subject + verb:

• vi tar

If you used an adverb like derfor instead, you would get inversion:

• Det er for langt til sentrum. Derfor tar vi bussen.

So:

• så vi tar bussen = normal after conjunction så
• derfor tar vi bussen = inversion after sentence adverb derfor

Yes. Norwegian uses ta very naturally with transport, just like English can say take the bus.

Examples:

• ta bussen = take the bus
• ta toget = take the train
• ta taxien = take the taxi

So vi tar bussen is a normal way to say we’re taking the bus or we take the bus.

Because Norwegian often uses the definite form with means of transport in this kind of everyday statement:

• ta bussen
• ta toget
• ta bilen

This often sounds more natural than using an indefinite noun.

Even when English might say take a bus or go by bus, Norwegian frequently prefers ta bussen.

It can mean either, depending on context.

The Norwegian present tense often covers both:

• we take the bus
• we are taking the bus

In this sentence, the natural meaning is probably something like:

• so we’ll take the bus
• or so we’re taking the bus

Norwegian present tense is often used where English would choose present progressive or even a future-like meaning.

Yes, very common.

Norwegian often says:

• Det er langt til ... = It is far to ...
• Det er kort til ... = It is a short distance to ...
• Det er for langt til ... = It is too far to ...

This is a normal and idiomatic way to describe how far away a place is.

In natural speech, it would usually flow as two linked parts:

• Det er for langt til sentrum
• så vi tar bussen

A learner should especially notice:

• langt: the ng is like the ng in sing
• sentrum: stress is usually on the first syllable
• bussen: the final -en is the definite ending

You do not need to pronounce it word-by-word very separately. It will sound more natural if it flows smoothly as one sentence.