Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Kan jeg låne boken din?

Breakdown of Kan jeg låne boken din?

Why is kan placed before jeg?

Because this is a yes/no question. In Norwegian, yes/no questions usually put the verb first:

In a normal statement, the order would be:

So the change from statement to question is mainly the verb-subject inversion: kan jeg instead of jeg kan.

What does kan mean here?

Kan is the present tense of kunne, and here it means can.

In this sentence, it is being used to make a polite request, similar to English:

So it is not only about ability; it is also a common way to ask for permission politely.

What form is låne?

Låne is the infinitive form of the verb, meaning to borrow or sometimes to lend, depending on context.

After a modal verb like kan, Norwegian normally uses the infinitive without å:

This is similar to English:

Does mean both and ?