Norwegian Sentence Structure Exercises: Main and Subordinate Clauses

Mastering the intricacies of Norwegian sentence structure is essential for anyone aiming to achieve fluency in this beautiful language. One of the key aspects to focus on is understanding the difference between main and subordinate clauses. Main clauses can stand alone as complete sentences, providing the core idea, while subordinate clauses, which often start with words like "fordi" (because) or "hvis" (if), provide additional context but cannot stand alone. By grasping these fundamental elements, you can significantly enhance your ability to construct coherent and sophisticated sentences in Norwegian. Our collection of exercises is designed to help you practice and perfect your use of both main and subordinate clauses in Norwegian. These activities will guide you through various sentence structures, from simple declarative sentences to more complex constructs that involve multiple clauses. Whether you are a beginner looking to build a solid foundation or an advanced learner aiming to refine your skills, these exercises will provide you with the practice you need to communicate effectively and confidently in Norwegian.

Exercise 1

1. Han sa at han *ikke* kunne komme (negation).

2. Jeg tror at hun *leser* en bok nå (present tense verb).

3. Selv om det *regner*, går vi ut (weather condition).

4. Når vi *kommer* hjem, skal vi lage middag (future event).

5. Hun spurte om han *hadde* sett filmen (past tense verb).

6. Fordi han *er* syk, blir han hjemme (state of being).

7. De visste ikke om han *skulle* komme (modal verb).

8. Mens hun *jobber*, lytter hun til musikk (present continuous verb).

9. Vi går en tur hvis det *ikke* snør (weather condition).

10. Selv om hun *er* trøtt, vil hun lese ferdig boken (state of being).

Exercise 2

1. Hun spiste middag, *mens* hun så på TV (conjunction meaning "while").

2. Jeg vil gjerne vite *hvorfor* du ikke kom i går (question word meaning "why").

3. Han gikk til skolen, *fordi* han ville lære (conjunction meaning "because").

4. Vi skal ut og spise *når* vi er ferdige med arbeidet (conjunction meaning "when").

5. De kunne ikke finne ut *hvordan* det skjedde (question word meaning "how").

6. Hun leser en bok, *mens* hun venter på bussen (conjunction meaning "while").

7. Jeg vet ikke *hva* jeg skal gjøre (question word meaning "what").

8. Han jobbet hardt, *slik at* han kunne få en bedre jobb (conjunction meaning "so that").

9. Vi må huske å låse døren, *før* vi drar (conjunction meaning "before").

10. Hun var glad, *fordi* hun hadde bestått eksamen (conjunction meaning "because").

Exercise 3

1. Jeg liker å lese bøker *fordi* det er avslappende (conjunction meaning "because").

2. Han sa at han skulle komme *hvis* han fikk tid (conjunction meaning "if").

3. Vi gikk hjem *etter* at filmen var ferdig (conjunction meaning "after").

4. *Selv om* det regnet, gikk de på tur (conjunction meaning "even though").

5. Hun spør meg alltid *hva* jeg synes om boken (question word meaning "what").

6. Jeg tror *at* vi kan gjøre det (conjunction meaning "that").

7. Han visste ikke *hvor* hun bodde (question word meaning "where").

8. *Når* han kommer, skal vi spise middag (conjunction meaning "when").

9. De ble glade *fordi* de vant konkurransen (conjunction meaning "because").

10. *Mens* vi ventet, spilte vi kort (conjunction meaning "while").