V2 Word Order
V2-ordstilling
Norwegian is a V2 (verb-second) language. The finite verb MUST be the second element in main clauses. When a sentence starts with something other than the subject, the subject and verb invert: 'I dag spiser jeg fisk' (Today eat I fish).
Rule
X + Verb + Subject + ... (verb always in position 2)
Examples
I dag spiser jeg frokost.
Today I eat breakfast.
Nå jobber hun hjemme.
Now she works from home.
Kaffe liker jeg best.
Coffee I like best.
Common Mistake
I dag jeg spiser frokost.
I dag spiser jeg frokost.
This is the most common word order error. When a time expression or adverb comes first, the verb must still be second, pushing the subject after the verb.
English vs Norwegian
| English | Norsk |
|---|---|
| Today I eat breakfast. | I dag spiser jeg frokost. |
| Now she works from home. | Nå jobber hun hjemme. |
| Coffee I like best. | Kaffe liker jeg best. |
English
Today I eat breakfast.
Norsk
I dag spiser jeg frokost.
English
Now she works from home.
Norsk
Nå jobber hun hjemme.
English
Coffee I like best.
Norsk
Kaffe liker jeg best.