A1/A2
grammatikk
Verbs in Present Tense
Learn how Norwegian verbs are conjugated in the present tense. Simple and systematic.
In Norwegian, present tense conjugation is very simple: all verbs get the ending -r, regardless of person!
The basic rule
infinitive → present tense: add -r
å snakke → snakker | å bo → bor | å lese → leser
The most common verbs
| Infinitive | Present tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| å være — to be | er | Jeg er norsk. — I am Norwegian. |
| å ha — to have | har | Jeg har en jobb. — I have a job. |
| å bo — to live | bor | Jeg bor i Oslo. — I live in Oslo. |
| å snakke — to speak | snakker | Jeg snakker norsk. — I speak Norwegian. |
| å jobbe — to work | jobber | Hun jobber på sykehuset. — She works at the hospital. |
| å hete — to be called | heter | Han heter Lars. — His name is Lars. |
| å lese — to read | leser | Vi leser en bok. — We are reading a book. |
| å spise — to eat | spiser | De spiser middag. — They are eating dinner. |
| å drikke — to drink | drikker | Han drikker kaffe. — He is drinking coffee. |
| å gå — to walk/go | går | Jeg går til skolen. — I am walking to school. |
Personal pronouns
| Pronoun | Example with "snakke" |
|---|---|
| jeg — I | Jeg snakker norsk. — I speak Norwegian. |
| du — you | Du snakker norsk. — You speak Norwegian. |
| han/hun — he/she | Han snakker norsk. — He speaks Norwegian. |
| vi — we | Vi snakker norsk. — We speak Norwegian. |
| dere — you (pl.) | Dere snakker norsk. — You all speak Norwegian. |
| de — they | De snakker norsk. — They speak Norwegian. |
Exceptions: være and ha
å være → er and å ha → har are the only irregular verbs in the present tense — much simpler than English!