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

to be

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

• vi: we
• til: to
• det: it

Questions & Answers about Det er for langt til sentrum, så vi tar bussen.

Why does the sentence start with det?

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.

Why is it langt and not lang?

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.

What does for mean here?