Norwegian grammar in use
Norwegian Word Order After Time Expressions: Examples and Practice
Start with i dag, i morgen or another time phrase, then put the finite verb before the subject. Compare the pattern and try six sentence prompts.
The short answer
In an ordinary Norwegian statement, the finite verb stays in the second position. When a time phrase comes first, the subject follows the verb.
Subject first: Jeg jobber hjemme i dag.
Time first: I dag jobber jeg hjemme.
Both say that I am working at home today; the second sentence starts with the time.
Second position means the second sentence element, not the second word. The whole phrase i dag fills the first position. The finite verb carries present or past tense, such as jobber, kom, skal or har.
| Time phrase | Finite verb | Subject | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| I dag | jobber | jeg | hjemme. |
| I morgen | skal | vi | lage middag. |
| I dag | har | vi | kjøpt brød. |
Try the prompts without an account. Say or write the sentence before opening its answer.
Six examples with answers
Examples with answers
Say or write each sentence before opening its answer. These six examples cover a simple verb, a modal and the present perfect. A free account is needed to keep them for later review.
Prompt
You are describing today’s work. Start with I dag and keep the same meaning. Jeg jobber hjemme i dag.
Show answer and explanation
Answer and explanation
I dag jobber jeg hjemme. Today I am working at home. I dag is the first element; jobber comes next, followed by jeg.
Prompt
You have plans for tomorrow. Start with I morgen. Vi skal lage middag sammen i morgen.
Show answer and explanation
Answer and explanation
I morgen skal vi lage middag sammen. Tomorrow we are going to make dinner together. Skal is the finite verb and comes second. Vi follows skal; lage stays later.
Prompt
You are describing yesterday’s journey. Start with I går. Bussen kom sent i går.
Show answer and explanation
Answer and explanation
I går kom bussen sent. Yesterday the bus arrived late. Kom stays in the past tense and comes before the subject bussen.
Prompt
You are describing her usual evening. Start with Etter middag. Hun leser en bok etter middag.
Show answer and explanation
Answer and explanation
Etter middag leser hun en bok. After dinner she reads a book. The whole time phrase Etter middag takes the first position. Leser follows it.
Prompt
You are saying what you have done today. Start with I dag. Vi har kjøpt brød i dag.
Show answer and explanation
Answer and explanation
I dag har vi kjøpt brød. Today we have bought bread. Har is the finite verb; kjøpt is the past participle. Put vi between har and kjøpt.
Prompt
You are explaining when the course begins. Start with På mandag. Kurset begynner på mandag.
Show answer and explanation
Answer and explanation
På mandag begynner kurset. On Monday the course begins. På mandag is one sentence element even though it contains two words. Begynner comes before kurset.
Usage notes
Move the finite verb, not every verb. In I morgen skal vi lage middag, skal comes before vi, while the infinitive lage stays after it. In I dag har vi kjøpt brød, har comes before vi, while the participle kjøpt stays later.
Keep the original tense. Moving i går to the front does not change kom into kommer. It changes the order, not when the event happened.
These prompts practise main-clause statements with a time phrase first. Questions and subordinate clauses have their own patterns. For a negative statement such as I dag jobber jeg ikke, continue with where ikke goes.
References: NTNU LearnNoW: time and place first, NTNU NoW: finite verbs and auxiliaries, and NTNU LearnNoW: present-perfect word order. Practice examples are original.