Hvis det er mat igjen, kan vi spise den i morgen.

Hvis means if and introduces a condition.

So Hvis det er mat igjen means If there is food left.

In Norwegian, hvis is the normal word for if in conditional sentences like this one:

• Hvis det regner, blir vi hjemme. = If it rains, we’ll stay home.
• Hvis du vil, kan jeg hjelpe. = If you want, I can help.

That is a very common question, because igjen can mean different things depending on context.

Here, igjen means left, remaining, or still there.

So:

• mat igjen = food left
• Det er litt kaffe igjen. = There is a little coffee left.

But in other sentences, igjen can mean again:

• Kan du si det igjen? = Can you say that again?

So in this sentence, igjen does not mean again. It means left over / remaining.

In det er mat igjen, det is a dummy subject, similar to English there in there is.

Literally, Norwegian uses det er where English often uses there is / there are:

• Det er en bok på bordet. = There is a book on the table.
• Det er mat igjen. = There is food left.

So even though English uses there, Norwegian usually uses det in this kind of sentence.

This is because of the Norwegian V2 rule.

In a main clause, the finite verb normally comes in the second position. When the sentence begins with a subordinate clause like Hvis det er mat igjen, that whole clause takes the first position. Then the finite verb of the main clause comes next:

• Hvis det er mat igjen, kan vi spise den i morgen.

Structure:

1. Hvis det er mat igjen = first element
2. kan = finite verb in second position
3. vi = subject

If you started directly with the main clause, you would say:

• Vi kan spise den i morgen hvis det er mat igjen.

Both are correct, but the word order changes because of the V2 rule.

Because Hvis det er mat igjen is a subordinate clause placed before the main clause.

In Norwegian, it is standard to put a comma between a fronted subordinate clause and the main clause:

• Hvis du kommer, blir jeg glad.
• Når det regner, tar vi bussen.

So:

• Hvis det er mat igjen, kan vi spise den i morgen.

The comma helps separate the condition from the result.

Because mat is a common-gender noun in Norwegian, and pronouns agree with grammatical gender.

So when referring back to mat, Norwegian uses den:

• maten = the food
• Jeg kjøpte mat. Den var god. = I bought food. It was good.

This may feel strange to English speakers because English uses it for things, but Norwegian chooses den or det based on the noun’s grammatical gender:

• common gender → den
• neuter gender → det

Since mat is common gender, den is correct.

Normally, no. In standard grammar, mat takes den because it is a common-gender noun.

So:

• mat → den

Using det would sound wrong in careful standard Bokmål when referring specifically to mat.

Because mat here is being used as an uncountable noun, like food in English.

Compare:

• Det er mat igjen. = There is food left.
• Jeg kjøpte mat. = I bought food.

You do not need en here, just as you would not normally say there is a food left in English.

If you wanted a slightly different meaning, you could say:

• Det er noe mat igjen. = There is some food left.

But Det er mat igjen is perfectly natural.

Yes. This is a very natural way to say it.

• spise den = eat it
• i morgen = tomorrow

So:

• kan vi spise den i morgen = we can eat it tomorrow

The adverbial i morgen often comes later in the clause, just as it does here.

Yes, Norwegian often allows some movement of time expressions.

These are all possible, depending on emphasis:

• Hvis det er mat igjen, kan vi spise den i morgen.
• Hvis det er mat igjen, kan vi i morgen spise den.
• I morgen kan vi spise den hvis det er mat igjen.

The original version is the most neutral and natural.

It is the most straightforward choice here, yes.

You may also see om used in some contexts to mean if/whether, but hvis is the clearest and most typical choice for a condition like this:

• Hvis det er mat igjen, ... = If there is food left, ...

A rough guideline:

• hvis = conditional if
• om = often whether / if

So for learners, hvis is the best word to use in this sentence.

The sentence has two parts:

1. Hvis det er mat igjen

   • subordinate clause
   • gives the condition

2. kan vi spise den i morgen

   • main clause
   • gives the result or possibility

So the pattern is:

If X, then Y

• Hvis det er mat igjen, kan vi spise den i morgen.

This is a very common and useful sentence pattern in Norwegian.

Usually the meaning would change.

• mat = food in a general sense
• maten = the food, referring to specific food already known in the conversation

So:

• Hvis det er mat igjen = If there is food left
• Hvis maten er igjen would sound odd in most contexts, because it suggests if the food is still there, not if there is food remaining

The original sentence is the natural way to express if there is food left.