Indirect Speech
Indirekte tale
Indirect speech uses 'at' to report what someone said: 'Han sa at han var syk' (He said that he was sick). Tense backshift is less strict than in English — Norwegian often keeps the original tense.
Rule
Subject + sa/fortalte + at + reported clause
Examples
Hun sa at hun var trøtt.
She said (that) she was tired.
Han fortalte at han liker Norge.
He said that he likes Norway.
De spurte om jeg snakker norsk.
They asked if I speak Norwegian.
Common Mistake
Han sa at han er syk. (always keeping present)
Han sa at han var syk.
While Norwegian allows some tense flexibility, past-tense backshift is standard in formal speech. Using present tense can sound unnatural in written Norwegian.
English vs Norwegian
| English | Norsk |
|---|---|
| She said (that) she was tired. | Hun sa at hun var trøtt. |
| He said that he likes Norway. | Han fortalte at han liker Norge. |
| They asked if I speak Norwegian. | De spurte om jeg snakker norsk. |
English
She said (that) she was tired.
Norsk
Hun sa at hun var trøtt.
English
He said that he likes Norway.
Norsk
Han fortalte at han liker Norge.
English
They asked if I speak Norwegian.
Norsk
De spurte om jeg snakker norsk.