Nå skjønner jeg.

Because Norwegian normally follows the V2 rule in main clauses: the finite verb must come in the second position.

In Nå skjønner jeg:

• Nå = first element
• skjønner = finite verb, so it must come second
• jeg = subject, which comes after the verb here

So when you begin the sentence with nå, the verb moves before the subject.

Compare:

• Jeg skjønner.
• Nå skjønner jeg.

This is very common in Norwegian word order.

Nå usually means now, but in this sentence it often has the sense of:

• now
• at this point
• now I get it
• I understand now

It often marks a change in understanding. So it is not just about time in a neutral sense; it can also signal a moment of realization.

Skjønner is the present tense form of the verb å skjønne.

• å skjønne = to understand, to get
• jeg skjønner = I understand / I get it

In Bokmål, present tense verbs are often formed by adding -r:

• å snakke → snakker
• å lære → lærer
• å skjønne → skjønner

So skjønne is the infinitive, while skjønner is the form you need here.

Both can mean understand, but there is a slight difference in feel.

• skjønne often feels a bit like get or grasp
• forstå is often a more neutral understand

So:

• Nå skjønner jeg. = Now I get it.
• Nå forstår jeg. = Now I understand.

In everyday speech, skjønne is very common and natural. It can sound a little more conversational.

No, nothing is necessarily missing. Norwegian often leaves the object unstated when it is obvious from context.

So Nå skjønner jeg can mean:

• Now I understand
• Now I get it
• Now I see

If you want to make the object explicit, you could say:

• Nå skjønner jeg det. = Now I understand it / now I get it

Both are correct. The shorter version is very natural when the context is clear.

Yes, but the emphasis changes.

• Nå skjønner jeg. puts focus on now
• Jeg skjønner nå. is also possible, but it may sound a bit more marked or context-dependent

In many situations, Nå skjønner jeg is the more natural choice if you mean a sudden realization.

You could also hear:

• Nå skjønner jeg det.
• Jeg skjønner det nå.

These are all possible, but they do not sound exactly the same in emphasis.

A simple learner-friendly approximation is:

• skj sounds like English sh in many common pronunciations
• ø is a Norwegian vowel that does not exist exactly in English
• the stress is on the first syllable: SKJØN-ner

A rough English-style approximation might be something like SHUHN-er, but that is only approximate.

A few helpful points:

• ø is said with rounded lips
• the vowel is short here because of the double nn
• the final -er is usually unstressed

If you are aiming for a standard Eastern Norwegian pronunciation, the first sound is often close to sh, not a hard sk.

They are separate letters in the Norwegian alphabet.

• å is usually like the vowel in English more or or, depending on accent, but shorter or purer
• ø has no exact English equivalent; it is a rounded front vowel

In this sentence:

• Nå contains å
• skjønner contains ø

For English speakers, ø is usually the trickier one. You can think of it as somewhere between eh and uh, but with rounded lips.

It is completely normal and natural in everyday Norwegian. It is not slang, and it is not rude or overly casual.

That said:

• skjønne can sound a little more conversational
• forstå can sound slightly more neutral or formal in some contexts

So Nå skjønner jeg is a very common everyday sentence.

Yes. Skjønne can be used for different kinds of understanding, such as:

• understanding an explanation
• realizing what is happening
• finally seeing someone’s point
• mentally grasping a situation

So Nå skjønner jeg can mean anything from Now I understand the explanation to Now I see what you mean or Now I get what's going on, depending on context.

Yes. In Nynorsk, the equivalent would typically be:

• No skjønar eg.

The differences are:

• Nå → No
• skjønner → skjønar
• jeg → eg

But for Bokmål, Nå skjønner jeg is the correct form.