Language/Norwegian-bokmal/Grammar/Present-Tense
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Introduction
In this lesson, we will learn about the present tense in Norwegian Bokmål. By the end of this lesson, you will learn how to conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the present tense.
The present tense is used to describe actions that are currently happening, habitual actions, or general truths. Therefore, it is a crucial aspect of the Norwegian language that you need to master.
With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Conditional Mood & Adjectives.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs in Norwegian Bokmål follow a predictable pattern when conjugated in the present tense. The usual rule is to add -r to the stem of the verb.
The stem of a verb is the part of the verb that does not change regardless of the verb form. To find the stem, take the infinitive form of the verb and remove -e at the end. Let's take the verb "å snakke" (to speak) as an example:
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| å snakke | /ɔ ˈsnɑkːə/ | to speak |
The stem of "å snakke" is "snakk". To form the present tense, we simply add -r to the stem:
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| jeg snakker | /jæɪ ˈsnɑkːər/ | I speak |
| du snakker | /dʉ ˈsnɑkːər/ | you speak (singular) |
| han/hun/den snakker | /hɑn hʉn dɛn ˈsnɑkːər/ | he/she/it speaks |
| vi snakker | /vi ˈsnɑkːər/ | we speak |
| dere snakker | /dɛrə ˈsnɑkːər/ | you speak (plural) |
| de snakker | /də ˈsnɑkːər/ | they speak |
Another example would be the verb "å studere" (to study):
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| å studere | /ɔ ˈstyːdərə/ | to study |
The stem of "å studere" is "studér". To form the present tense, we simply add -r to the stem:
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| jeg studerer | /jæɪ ˈstyːdərər/ | I study |
| du studerer | /dʉ ˈstyːdərər/ | you study (singular) |
| han/hun/den studerer | /hɑn hʉn dɛn ˈstyːdərər/ | he/she/it studies |
| vi studerer | /vi ˈstyːdərər/ | we study |
| dere studerer | /dɛrə ˈstyːdərər/ | you study (plural) |
| de studerer | /də ˈstyːdərər/ | they study |
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs do not follow the same conjugation pattern as regular verbs in the present tense. They must be memorized in order to be used properly. Let's take the verb "å være" (to be) as an example:
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| å være | /ɔ væːrə/ | to be |
The present tense of "å være" is one of the few exceptions in Norwegian Bokmål. It is conjugated as follows:
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| jeg er | /jæɪ ær/ | I am |
| du er | /dʉ ær/ | you are (singular) |
| han/hun/den er | /hɑn hʉn dɛn ær/ | he/she/it is |
| vi er | /vi ær/ | we are |
| dere er | /dɛrə ær/ | you are (plural) |
| de er | /də ær/ | they are |
Here's another example: the verb "å ha" (to have).
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| å ha | /ɔ hɑː/ | to have |
The present tense of "å ha" is conjugated as follows:
| Norwegian Bokmål | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| jeg har | /jæɪ hɑr/ | I have |
| du har | /dʉ hɑr/ | you have (singular) |
| han/hun/den har | /hɑn hʉn dɛn hɑr/ | he/she/it has |
| vi har | /vi hɑr/ | we have |
| dere har | /dɛrə hɑr/ | you have (plural) |
| de har | /də hɑr/ | they have |
Classes of Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs can be categorized into classes based on their conjugation patterns. There are three main classes of irregular verbs in Norwegian Bokmål:
Class 1
Verbs in Class 1 end with -er in the infinitive form. To form the present tense, the -e- is removed, and the remaining stem is modified based on the subject being used. For example:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| å være (to be) | er | am/is/are |
| å se (to see) | ser | see |
| å lese (to read) | leser | read |
Class 2
Verbs in Class 2
Other Lessons
- Basic sentence structure
- Conditional Mood
- How to Use Have
- Past Tense
- Gender and Definite Articles
- Indirect speech
- How to Use Be
- Definite and indefinite forms of nouns
- Future Tense
- Give your Opinion
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