Infinitive with Å in Norwegian

Overview

The infinitive marker å is the Norwegian equivalent of English "to" before a verb: å snakke (to speak), å spise (to eat), å lære (to learn). It is a small but important word that connects verbs in many common sentence patterns. Understanding when to use å — and when to leave it out — is a key A1 skill.

The most important rule to remember is that å is omitted after modal verbs (kan, vil, skal, må, får, bør). You say Jeg kan svømme (I can swim), never Jeg kan å svømme. With all other verbs that take an infinitive complement, å is required: Jeg prøver å svømme (I try to swim).

This topic is closely connected to both the present tense and modal verbs. Once you understand where å fits in, you will be able to construct two-verb combinations that vastly expand what you can express — trying, wanting, beginning, needing, planning, and more.

How It Works

Basic structure

å + infinitive (the base form of the verb):

Norwegian	English
å snakke	to speak
å spise	to eat
å lese	to read
å bo	to live
å være	to be

When to use å

Å is used after most verbs that take an infinitive complement:

Verb	Example	Translation
prøve (try)	Jeg prøver å forstå.	I try to understand.
begynne (begin)	Hun begynner å løpe.	She begins to run.
slutte (stop)	Vi slutter å jobbe kl. 17.	We stop working at 5 PM.
pleie (usually)	De pleier å spise kl. 18.	They usually eat at 6 PM.
like (like)	Jeg liker å lese.	I like to read.
ønske (wish)	Han ønsker å reise.	He wishes to travel.
trenge (need)	Vi trenger å handle.	We need to shop.
håpe (hope)	Jeg håper å komme.	I hope to come.
huske (remember)	Husk å låse døra.	Remember to lock the door.
glemme (forget)	Ikke glem å ringe.	Don't forget to call.

When to omit å

After modal verbs:

Norwegian	English	Note
Jeg kan svømme.	I can swim.	No å
Hun vil spise.	She wants to eat.	No å
Vi skal reise.	We're going to travel.	No å
Du må gå.	You must go.	No å
De bør sove.	They should sleep.	No å

After perception verbs (see, hear, feel):

Norwegian	English
Jeg ser ham komme.	I see him coming.
Vi hører henne synge.	We hear her singing.

After la (let):

Norwegian	English
La meg tenke.	Let me think.
La oss gå.	Let's go.

Å in other constructions

Å also appears in certain adjective + infinitive combinations:

Norwegian	English
Det er godt å vite.	It's good to know.
Det er vanskelig å forstå.	It's difficult to understand.
Det er hyggelig å møte deg.	It's nice to meet you.
Det er viktig å øve.	It's important to practice.

And with for å (in order to):

Norwegian	English
Jeg leser for å lære.	I read in order to learn.
Hun jobber for å tjene penger.	She works to earn money.

Examples in Context

Norwegian	English	Note
Jeg prøver å forstå.	I try to understand.	å required after prøve
Det er godt å vite.	It's good to know.	å in adjective construction
Hun begynner å løpe.	She starts to run.	å required after begynne
Vi pleier å spise kl. 18.	We usually eat at 6 PM.	å required after pleie
Jeg liker å lese bøker.	I like to read books.	å required after like
Det er viktig å sove nok.	It's important to sleep enough.	å in adjective construction
Husk å ta med paraply!	Remember to bring an umbrella!	å required after huske
Han sluttet å røyke.	He stopped smoking.	å required after slutte
Vi trenger å snakke.	We need to talk.	å required after trenge
Jeg jobber for å lære norsk.	I work to learn Norwegian.	for å = in order to
La oss begynne.	Let's begin.	No å after la

Common Mistakes

Wrong: Jeg kan å svømme. Right: Jeg kan svømme. Why: Modal verbs never take å before the infinitive. This is the single most important rule.

Wrong: Jeg prøver forstå. (missing å) Right: Jeg prøver å forstå. Why: Non-modal verbs require å before the infinitive. Without it, the sentence is grammatically incomplete.

Wrong: Jeg liker å å lese. (double å) Right: Jeg liker å lese. Why: Only one å is needed, no matter how many elements come before the infinitive.

Wrong: Confusing å (infinitive marker) with og (and). Right: Jeg prøver å lese (I try to read) vs. Jeg leser og skriver (I read and write). Why: In spoken Norwegian, å and og sound identical (both like "o"), but they have completely different functions. In writing, always distinguish them.

Wrong: For forstå dette... (missing å after for) Right: For å forstå dette... Why: The construction is always for å (in order to), never for alone before an infinitive.

Usage Notes

In spoken Norwegian, å and og (and) are pronounced identically — both sound like a short "o." This causes no confusion for native speakers because context makes the meaning clear, but it can trip up learners in writing. When in doubt, ask yourself: am I connecting two equal things (og) or introducing a purpose/action (å)?

The å infinitive construction is used in all registers of Norwegian — formal and informal, written and spoken. There is no regional variation in its usage.

The verb pleie å (to usually/tend to) is particularly useful for describing habits: Jeg pleier å stå opp klokka sju (I usually get up at seven). This is a very Norwegian way to express routine actions.

This is a core A1 concept that enables you to combine verbs and express much more complex ideas.

Practice Tips

• Make "I try to" sentences. Use prøver å with ten different verbs: Jeg prøver å snakke, å lese, å forstå, å skrive, å lære, å sove, å spise, å løpe, å svømme, å danse.
• Contrast modal vs. non-modal. Practice pairs: Jeg kan svømme (no å) vs. Jeg liker å svømme (with å). This builds the pattern distinction.
• Write about your habits. Use pleier å to describe your routine: Jeg pleier å drikke kaffe om morgenen. Vi pleier å gå tur etter middag.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Present Tense — understanding verb forms before combining them
• Next steps: Infinitive Constructions — more complex patterns with infinitives