Language/Norwegian-bokmal/Grammar/Questions

Norwegian Bokmål Grammar - Questions

Hi Norwegian Bokmål learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will cover Norwegian Bokmål grammar related to questions. Questions are essential for communication and comprehension in any language. Understanding how to formulate and answer questions enables you to have meaningful interactions with native speakers. So, let's dive in and explore how to ask and answer questions in Norwegian Bokmål.

Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Norwegian Bokmål Grammar Lesson: Common Prepositions, Norwegian Bokmål Grammar Questions and Negation Question Words, Adjectives & Infinitive and present participle forms.

Basic Question Structure

In Norwegian Bokmål, basic questions primarily have a similar structure to English questions, that is, they generally use an auxiliary verb and a subject-verb inversion. Let's look at some examples:

Norwegian Bokmål	Pronunciation	English
Hva heter du?	/hva ˈheːtər duː/	What's your name?
Hvor gammel er du?	/hvoːɾ ˈgamːəl eːɾ duː/	How old are you?
Er du sulten?	/æɾ duː ˈsʉltən/	Are you hungry?
Når skal vi dra?	/nɔɾ skal viː dɾa/	When are we leaving?

As you can see, the word order in these examples is different from declarative sentences. In declarative (positive) sentences, the subject comes before the verb, whereas in questions, the verb comes before the subject. Also, notice that the intonation in questions is typically higher at the end of the sentence than in declarative sentences.

Types of Questions

There are different types of questions in Norwegian Bokmål.

Yes/No Questions

Yes/no questions are questions where you ask for confirmation, and the answer is either yes or no. To create a yes/no question, use an auxiliary verb (have, be, do) or modal verb (can, should, would) and place it before the subject. Here are some examples:

• Har du vært i Oslo før? (Have you been to Oslo before?)
• Er du sulten? (Are you hungry?)
• Vil du ha kaffe? (Do you want coffee?)

The answer to these questions can either be ja (yes) or nei (no).

Open Questions

Open questions are questions that require more explanation and cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. To create an open question in Norwegian Bokmål, use w-questions or special question words. Here are some examples:

• Hva syntes du om konserten? (What did you think of the concert?)
• Hvorfor kommer du så sent? (Why are you arriving so late?)
• Hvordan har du det? (How are you?)
• Hvor vil du reise på ferie? (Where do you want to go on vacation?)

As you can see, open questions require a more detailed answer than yes/no questions.

Rhetorical Questions

A rhetorical question is a question that is asked to make a point rather than to obtain an answer. It is used to emphasize a statement, and the answer is often obvious. Here are some examples:

• Hvem vil ikke ha en god kopp kaffe? (Who doesn't want a good cup of coffee?)
• Er ikke dette et fantastisk sted? (Isn't this a fantastic place?)

Rhetorical questions are typically used in speech or writing to engage the audience in a conversation or to emphasize a point.

Inverted Word Order

As previously mentioned, the word order in questions is inverted, and the subject-verb order changes. However, not all questions use inversion. Some questions use the word order of a declarative sentence but with a question mark at the end. Here are some examples:

• Du bor i Oslo? (Do you live in Oslo?)
• Det er kaldt i dag? (Is it cold today?)

The word order in these questions is typically found in colloquial speech and not in formal writing.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used when asking questions about people, places, things, qualities, and quantities. These pronouns are hva (what), hvem (who), hvor (where), når (when), hvilken (which), hvorfor (why), and hvordan (how). Here are some examples:

• Hva gjør du? (What are you doing?)
• Hvem er den mannen? (Who is that man?)
• Hvor bor du? (Where do you live?)
• Når kommer han? (When is he coming?)
• Hvilken bok likte du best? (Which book did you like the most?)
• Hvorfor gråter du? (Why are you crying?)
• Hvordan lager man pai? (How do you make a pie?)

These questions all require specific information and use the appropriate interrogative pronoun.

Practice Makes Perfect

To improve your ability to formulate and answer questions in Norwegian Bokmål, take advantage of the resources available to you. Practice with native speakers by using Find native speakers and ask them any questions you may have. You can also consult online resources like Polyglot Club to improve your grammar skills in Norwegian Bokmål.

Sources

• Norwegian Language
• Bokmål
• Interrogative

---

➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Other Lessons

• Give your Opinion
• How to Use Be
• Negation
• Conditional Mood
• Future Tense
• How to Use Have
• Pronouns
• Gender
• Plurals