At-Clauses (That-Clauses)
At-setninger
At-clauses function like English 'that-clauses': 'Jeg tror at han er snill' (I think that he is kind). 'At' can often be omitted in spoken Norwegian. The subordinate clause follows subordinate word order.
Rule
Main clause + at + subordinate clause (S + adv + V + O)
Examples
Jeg tror at hun kommer.
I think that she is coming.
Han sa at han ikke var syk.
He said that he wasn't sick.
Det er viktig at du lærer norsk.
It's important that you learn Norwegian.
Common Mistake
Jeg tror at hun kommer ikke.
Jeg tror at hun ikke kommer.
After 'at', subordinate clause order applies — 'ikke' goes before the verb, not after.
English vs Norwegian
| English | Norsk |
|---|---|
| I think that she is coming. | Jeg tror at hun kommer. |
| He said that he wasn't sick. | Han sa at han ikke var syk. |
| It's important that you learn Norwegian. | Det er viktig at du lærer norsk. |
English
I think that she is coming.
Norsk
Jeg tror at hun kommer.
English
He said that he wasn't sick.
Norsk
Han sa at han ikke var syk.
English
It's important that you learn Norwegian.
Norsk
Det er viktig at du lærer norsk.