Modal verbs (part 2)

   |  Dan

This lesson goes over three of the modal verbs in Norwegian: Kan, Bør, Får

Grammar Review

Sentence structure

While most Norwegian sentences use the subject-verb-object (SVO) word order, like English does, Norwegian does have the V2 (verb second) rule. If an adverbial phrase or subordinate clause is at the front of the sentence, the subject and the verb have to switch places (this is called “inversion”) so that the verb stays in the second position.

Eksempel English

SVO

Gustav løp et / en maraton i fjor.

Gustav ran a marathon last year.

Maria studerte kjemi da hun gikk på universitetet.

Maria studied chemistry when she was in university.

V2

I fjor løp Gustav et / en maraton.

Last year, Gustav ran a marathon.

Da Maria gikk på universitetet, studerte hun kjemi.

When Maria was in university, she studied chemistry.

If a sentence has more than one verb, the second verb will be in a nonfinite form (e.g. å finne). If the sentence has inversion, then the subject will come between the finite (i.e. conjugated) verb and the nonfinite verb.

Eksempel English

SVO

Sara liker å spille fiolin om kvelden.

Sara likes to play the violin in the evening.

Jakob prøvde å lære tysk før han reiste til Tyskland.

Jakob tried to learn German before he traveled to Germany.

V2

Om kvelden liker Sara å spille fiolin.

In the evenings, Sara likes to play the violin.

Før Jakob reiste til Tyskland, prøvde han å lære tysk.

Before Jakob traveled to Germany, he tried to learn German.

Verb Conjugation

Conjugating the present tense of verbs in Norwegian is fairly simple. Most present tense verbs just add an -r to the end of the infinitive.

Infinitive Present English Infinitive Present English

Å følge

følger

Follows / Following

Å glemme

glemmer

Forgets / Forgetting

Å le

ler

Laughs / Laughing

Å smile

smiler

Smiles / Smiling

Past tense conjugation is a bit more difficult, however there are some guidelines (but keep in mind there are exceptions).

  1. If the verb ends with a double consonant, consonant cluster, or voiced plosive (b / d), past tense will end in -et.

  2. If the verb ends in a single consonant (except v / b / d), past tense ends in -te.

  3. If the verb ends with v or diphthong, the past tense ends in -de.

  4. If the verb has only one syllable with a long vowel, past tense ends in -dde.

Rule Number

Infinitive

Past Tense

English

1

Å flytte

flyttet

Moved

Å regne

regnet

Rained

2

Å bake

bakte

Baked

Å leke

lekte

Played

3

Å lage

lagde

Made

Å leie

leide

Rented

4

Å tro

Trodde

Believed

Å bo

Bodde

Lived

There are two ways to talk about future activities. Sometimes a present tense verb + a time adverbial is used. Modal verbs are another way to express future tense.

Eksempel English

Present Tense + Time Adverbial

Kjører Thomas til Trondheim i morgen?

Is Thomas driving to Trondheim tomorrow?

Modal Verbs

Vennene skal fiske i helgen.

The friends are fishing this weekend.

Adjective Basics

Adjectives typically have to agree with the gender and the number of the noun. If the noun is neuter gender, then in the singular indefinite form, the adjective takes a -t ending. In the plural indefinite, the adjective takes an -e ending. Note there are exceptions.

Singular Indefinite Plural Indefinite

Norwegian

English

Norwegian

English

Masculine

En stor hund

A big dog

Store hunder

Big dogs

En brun hest

A brown horse

Brune hester

Brown horses

Feminine

Ei stor bygning

A big building

Store bygninger

Big buildings

Ei brun kasse

A brown box

Brune kasser

Brown boxes

Neuter

Et stort jordbær

A big strawberry

Store jordbær

Big strawberries

Et brunt rektangel

A brown rectangle

Brune rektangler

Brown rectangles

When the noun is in the definite form, the adjective takes an -e ending.

Singular Definite Plural Definite

Norwegian

English

Norwegian

English

Masculine

Den store hunden

The big dog

De store hundene

The big dogs

Denne brune hesten

This brown horse

Disse brune hestene

These brown horses

Feminine

Den store bygninga

The big building

De store bygningene

The big buildings

Denne brune kassa

This brown box

Disse brune kassene

These brown boxes

Neuter

Det store jordbæret

The big strawberry

De store jordbæra / jordbærene

The big strawberries

Dette brune rektanglet

This brown rectangle

Disse brune rektangla /
rektanglene

These brown rectangles

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are a type of auxiliary verb that combine with an infinitive verb (without “å”) or with a directional adverbial. They express the speaker’s attitude, belief, intentions, recommendations, doubt, etc about the activity. While there are other modal verbs, we are focusing on kan, bør, and får*.

*Note: Får was listed in the Norwegian Essential Grammar book, however most sources do not list it as a modal.

Quick note on sentence structure

Unlike in other sentences that contain two verbs next to each other, where the second verb is in the infinitive (e.g. without the present tense -r ending) with the “å” infinitive marker, when a sentence contains a modal verb for the first verb, the verb that follows it will be in the infinitive but not have the infinitive “å” marker. Let’s look at this comparison:

Eksempel English

Without Modals

Marius prøvde å male en solnedgang.

Marius tried to paint a sunset.

Karine likar å spela sjakk.

Karine likes to play chess.

Lukas byrjar å læra norsk førre / forrige uke.

Lukas began to learn Norwegian last week.

WIth Modals

Ella kan tegne veldig bra.

Ella can draw really well.

Karine kan spille sjakk.

Karine can play chess.

Lukas kan snakke norsk og tysk.

Lukas can speak Norwegian and German.

In the above examples, the sentences that do not contain modal verbs must have the infinitive marker, “å” between the conjugated verb and nonfinite verb. In the examples with modal verbs, the infinitive marker is not included.

Å kunne

Translates into “can” or “may” (as in possibility). It’s used for:

  • Ability or skill - using “kunne” sometimes gives the impression of caution

  • Possibility or probability

  • Permission or prohibition

  • “Kunne” can be used for unfulfilled wishes

Eksempel English Use

1

Faren min kan lage mat.

My father can cook food.

Ability or Skill

2

Kunne du hjelpe meg litt?

Can you help me a little?

Ability or Skill

3

Det kan snø i morgen.

It may / might snow tomorrow.

Possibility or Probability

4

Barnet spurte: “Kan jeg leke ute?”

The child asked, “Can I play outside?”

Permission or Prohibition

5

Moren sa: “Du kan leke ute.”

The mother said, “You can play outside.”

Permission or Prohibition

6

Moren sa: “Du kan ikke leke ute nå.”

The mother said, “You cannot play outside now.”

Permission or Prohibition

7

Hvis jeg bare kunne vinne i lotto.

If only I could win the lottery.

Unfulfilled Wish

8

Kan jeg lage maten med deg?

Can I cook the food with you?

Permission

9

Det kan ikke være så mye sol!

There can’t be so much sunlight!

(daNiAL) Possibility

Å bør

“Burde” often translates into “ought to” or “should” in English. It’s used for:

  • Advice or suggestions

  • Moral obligation

  • How thing should or ought to be in an ideal world

Eksempel English Use

1

Du bør gå hjem nå.

You should go home now.

Advice or Suggestion

2

Du bør prøve denne nye drinken.

You should try this new drink.

Advice or Suggestion

3

Han bør ta bedre vare på kjæledyrene sine.

He should take better care of his pets.

Moral Obligation

4

August burde være en bedre leder.

August should be a better leader.

How Things Ought To Be

5

Folk bør være snille mot hverandre.

People should be kind to each other.

How Things Ought To Be

6

Det bør være en skiskytingleksjon i dag.

There ought to be a Biathlon lesson today.

How Things Ought To Be

Å få

“Får” translates to “may” or “manage.” It’s used for:

  • Permission - can sometimes be used instead of “kan / kunne.”

  • “To manage” or “to achieve” when it is followed by a past participle

Eksempel English Use

1

Får vi gå nå?

May we go now?

Permission

2

Du får ta litt kake.

You can have some cake.
(you have permission)

Permission

3

Christian fikk fikset bilen forrige helgen.

Christian managed to get the car fixed last weekend.

“To Manage” / “To Achieve”

4

Tror du at han får gjort det i kveld?

Do you think he’ll manage to do it this evening?

“To Manage” / “To Achieve”

Modals without Main Verbs

In some instances, a modal verb can be used without a main verb.

Norwegian Example English Translation

Statement

  • Oftentimes an adverb will clue you in as to what main verb is omitted.

Onkelen min skal til Oslo i morgen..

My uncle is going to Oslo tomorrow..

Jeg må hjem.

I must go home.

Eg vil til skulen

Hvor

  • The missing verb will always be one of motion (i.e. “go,” “travel”) toward something

Hvor skal Monica?

Where is Monica going?

Hva

  • It is implied that the missing verb is “do”

Hva skal du?

What are you going to do?

Hvorfor

  • Must contain an adverb of place which implies motion (i.e. “dit,” “hjem,” “bort”)

Hvorfor skal Liam dit?

Why is Liam going there?

Hvorfor skal Nora hjem?

Why is Nora going home?

Hvorfor skal Tobias til sykehuset?

Why is Tobias going to the hospital?

Conjugations

Infinitive

Present

Past

Past Participle

Meaning

Kunne

Kan

Kunne

Kunnet

Can

Burde

Bør

Burde

Burdet

Should

Få

Får

Fikk

Fått

Might; may

Multiple Modals

Since Norwegian has infinitive and past participle forms of the modal verbs, it is possible to have two modals in the same verb phrase.

Combination Norwegian Example English Translation

Modal (present / past tense)

modal (infinitive) + verb

Hun ville kunne klare det.

She would be able to do it.

Have + modal (past participle)

modal (infinitive) + verb

Han har måttet kunne se det.

He must have been able to see it.

Modal (present / past tense) + have + modal (past participle) + verb

Hun ville ha kunnet hjelpe.

She would have been able to help.

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Sources:

Exercise: Write 5 sentences using the modals used in this lesson. (Bonus points if you can write a sentence using multiple modals).