S-Verbs (Reciprocal) in Norwegian

Overview

Norwegian has a distinctive class of verbs that end in -s, known as s-verbs. These verbs carry reciprocal meaning (doing something to each other), passive-like meaning, or have developed specialized meanings that differ from their base verb. "Møtes" means "to meet each other," "synes" means "to think/have an opinion," and "finnes" means "to exist." The -s ending is not just a grammatical marker — it fundamentally changes what the verb means.

This is an A1 concept that builds on Present Tense. S-verbs conjugate similarly to regular verbs, but the -s replaces the -r ending. Where a regular verb has "snakker" in the present, an s-verb has "møtes" (not *møter-s). Understanding this conjugation pattern and the three main functions of the -s ending is the core learning task.

S-verbs appear in everyday Norwegian from the very beginning. Expressions like "vi ses" (see you), "jeg synes" (I think), and "det finnes" (there exists) are among the most frequently used phrases in the language.

How It Works

Three Functions of the -S Ending

Function	Meaning	Example
Reciprocal	Each other	møtes (meet each other)
Deponent	Fixed meaning, no active form	synes (think), finnes (exist)
Passive-like	Something happens (no agent)	Det selges biler her. (Cars are sold here.)

Conjugation Pattern

S-verbs conjugate like regular verbs but replace -r with -s in the present:

Form	Regular Verb (møte)	S-Verb (møtes)
Infinitive	å møte	å møtes
Present	møter	møtes
Past	møtte	møttes
Participle	møtt	møttes

Common Reciprocal S-Verbs

These express actions done to each other:

S-Verb	Base Verb	Meaning
møtes	møte (meet)	meet each other
ses	se (see)	see each other
treffes	treffe (meet)	meet each other
slåss	slå (hit)	fight each other
skilles	skille (separate)	separate/divorce
følges	følge (follow)	walk together
enes	ene (unite)	agree

Common Deponent S-Verbs

These verbs only exist in the -s form or have a distinctly different meaning from the base verb:

S-Verb	Meaning	Note
synes	think, have an opinion	No active counterpart with this meaning
finnes	exist	Different from "finne" (to find)
lykkes	succeed	No common active form
trives	thrive, enjoy	Different from active meaning
minnes	remember, recall	More literary than "huske"

Important: "Synes" vs "Tror" vs "Tenker"

Norwegian has three verbs often translated as "think," each with a distinct meaning:

Verb	Meaning	Example
synes	think (opinion)	Jeg synes det er bra. (I think it's good.)
tro	think (believe)	Jeg tror det regner. (I think it's raining.)
tenke	think (cogitate)	Jeg tenker på deg. (I'm thinking of you.)

"Synes" is the s-verb and expresses a personal opinion or evaluation.

Word Order with S-Verbs

S-verbs follow the same V2 word order as all Norwegian verbs:

Norwegian	English
Vi møtes i morgen.	We meet (each other) tomorrow.
I morgen møtes vi.	Tomorrow we meet (each other).
Det finnes mange løsninger.	There exist many solutions.

Examples in Context

Norwegian	English	Note
Vi møtes i morgen.	We'll meet each other tomorrow.	Reciprocal
Jeg synes det er bra.	I think it's good.	Deponent (opinion)
Det finnes mange typer.	There exist many types.	Deponent (existence)
Det lykkes aldri.	It never succeeds.	Deponent
Vi ses!	See you! (lit. We see each other)	Common farewell
De trives i Norge.	They thrive in Norway.	Deponent
Barna slåss hele tiden.	The children fight all the time.	Reciprocal
Vi følges til stasjonen.	We'll walk together to the station.	Reciprocal
Hva synes du om filmen?	What do you think of the movie?	Asking opinion
De møttes på en kafé.	They met (each other) at a café.	Reciprocal, past tense
Det finnes ikke noe alternativ.	There exists no alternative.	Negative existential
Hun synes norsk er vanskelig.	She thinks Norwegian is difficult.	Personal opinion

Common Mistakes

Confusing "synes" with "tenker" or "tror"

• Wrong: Jeg tenker det er en god film. (meaning "I think it's a good movie")
• Right: Jeg synes det er en god film.
• Why: For expressing opinions and evaluations, use "synes." "Tenker" means to cogitate/ponder, and "tror" means to believe something is factually true.

Adding -r before -s

• Wrong: Vi møters i morgen.
• Right: Vi møtes i morgen.
• Why: The -s replaces the -r ending, it does not add to it. Present tense of s-verbs ends in -es or -s, not -rs.

Using "finnes" and "finne" interchangeably

• Wrong: Jeg finnes nøklene. (trying to say "I find the keys")
• Right: Jeg finner nøklene. (I find the keys.) / Det finnes mange nøkler. (There exist many keys.)
• Why: "Finne" (active) means to find/locate something. "Finnes" (s-verb) means to exist. They are different verbs.

Forgetting the reciprocal meaning

• Wrong: Interpreting "Vi møtes" as "We are met" (passive)
• Right: Vi møtes = We meet each other
• Why: The primary meaning of reciprocal s-verbs is mutual action, not passive voice. "Vi møtes" means both parties actively participate.

Usage Notes

S-verbs are fully standard in both formal and informal Bokmål. The reciprocal s-verbs are especially common in casual speech: "vi ses" (see you), "vi snakkes" (we'll talk), "vi møtes" (let's meet) are everyday farewells and arrangements.

"Synes" is one of the most frequently used s-verbs in Norwegian. It is the default verb for expressing opinions in conversation: "Hva synes du?" (What do you think?) is a question you will hear and use constantly.

In Nynorsk, s-verbs follow the same pattern but may have slightly different forms. The concept and usage are identical across both written standards.

Practice Tips

1. Learn the farewell s-verbs first. "Vi ses," "vi snakkes," "vi møtes" are immediately useful and give you natural exposure to the reciprocal pattern. Use them to end conversations.

2. Practice "synes" in opinion sentences. For every movie, meal, or experience, form an opinion: "Jeg synes det var bra/dårlig/interessant." This builds the habit of reaching for "synes" when expressing personal views.

3. Compare s-verb and base verb pairs. Write sentences with both "finne" (to find) and "finnes" (to exist), or "møte" (to meet someone) and "møtes" (to meet each other). Seeing them side by side clarifies the meaning difference.

Related Concepts

• Parent: Present Tense — s-verbs follow the same tense system, with -s replacing -r
• Related: Reflexive Verbs — another way Norwegian expresses actions directed at the subject