Norwegian grammar guide

Norwegian Present Tense Exercises

Learn the essential present-tense patterns through ten graded English–Norwegian sentence examples.

3 clear rules · 10 bilingual examples · Free to read

How the Norwegian present tense works

Norwegian present tense is compact: the verb does not change with the subject, but word order still matters in negatives and questions.

1
Use one form for every subject
Most infinitives ending in -e drop å and add -r. The form stays the same with jeg, du, han, hun, vi, dere, and de.
Jeg jobber. De jobber.
I work. They work.
2
Put ikke after the finite verb
In an ordinary main clause, the negative word ikke normally follows the conjugated verb.
Hun jobber ikke på fredag.
She does not work on Friday.
3
Start yes/no questions with the verb
Move the finite verb before the subject when the answer can be yes or no.
Snakker du norsk?
Do you speak Norwegian?

Common mistake: Do not translate the English progressive word for word. Norwegian often uses simple present for both “I work” and “I am working.”

Read each sentence in English, then compare the Norwegian.

Example 1 · Daily lifeBasic
I like coffee.
Jeg liker kaffe.
Example 2 · Daily lifeBasic
We do not drink coffee.
Vi drikker ikke kaffe.
Example 3 · WorkBasic
Does he walk to work?
Går han til jobb?
Example 4 · WorkBasic
You speak with the boss about the report.
Du snakker med sjefen om rapporten.
Example 5 · WorkIntermediate
You do not know that the boss is coming to the meeting.
Du vet ikke at sjefen kommer til møtet.
Example 6 · WorkIntermediate
Does she ask the boss about the new report today?
Spør hun sjefen om den nye rapporten i dag?
Example 7 · SocialIntermediate
She visits her friends in the large apartment in the centre every weekend.
Hun besøker vennene sine i den store leiligheten i sentrum hver helg.
Example 8 · WorkIntermediate
They do not meet the new client at the office to talk about the important project tomorrow.
De møter ikke den nye kunden på kontoret for å snakke om det viktige prosjektet i morgen.
Example 9 · WorkAdvanced
Do they understand that the boss wants the team to work with the client?
Forstår de at sjefen vil at teamet skal jobbe med kunden?
Example 10 · WorkAdvanced
She is at the office all day because the team is working on an important report.
Hun er på kontoret hele dagen fordi teamet jobber med en viktig rapport.

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