Spørsmål med «om»

A1 — Setningsstruktur

Direct yes/no questions use verb-first order. Indirect questions with 'om' use subject-verb order: 'Jeg lurer på om du snakker norsk.'

Examples

Snakker du norsk? — Do you speak Norwegian?
Jeg lurer på om du snakker norsk. — I wonder if you speak Norwegian.
Vet du om butikken er åpen? — Do you know if the shop is open?

SetningsstrukturA1

Questions with 'om'

Direct yes/no questions use verb-first order. Indirect questions with 'om' keep subject-verb order.

Learning Goal

Form direct yes/no questions and indirect questions using 'om'.

Exam Skills:LeseforståelseLytteforståelseMuntligSkriftlig

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Snakker du norsk?

Do you speak Norwegian?

Jeg lurer på om du snakker norsk.

I wonder if you speak Norwegian.

Vet du om butikken er åpen?

Do you know if the shop is open?

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Questions with 'om'

Direct yes/no questions: Verb comes first.

Type	Example
Direct (verb-first)	Snakker du norsk? — Do you speak Norwegian?
Direct (verb-first)	Liker hun kaffe? — Does she like coffee?

Indirect questions with 'om': After 'om', use subject-verb order.

Type	Example
lurer på om	Jeg lurer på om du snakker norsk.
vet ikke om	Jeg vet ikke om hun liker kaffe.

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Don't invert subject-verb after 'om' — 'om du snakker' (not 'om snakker du').

Common Error Patterns

Inverting subject-verb order after 'om' in indirect questions.

Confusing 'om' (if/whether) with question words like 'hva' (what).

Snakker du norsk?

Do you speak Norwegian?

Direct yes/no question: verb first, then subject.

Jeg lurer på om du snakker norsk.

I wonder if you speak Norwegian.

Indirect question with 'om': subject-verb order is kept after 'om'.

Vet du om butikken er åpen?

Do you know if the shop is open?

Direct question as main clause; 'om' introduces the embedded question with S+V.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

Try a free exercise from the course

Frequently asked questions

When is Spørsmål med «om» used?: Indirekte spørsmål med «om»: Etter «om» er ordstillingen subjekt-verb.
What are common mistakes with Spørsmål med «om»?: 🇬🇧 English: Don't invert subject-verb after 'om' — 'Jeg lurer på om du snakker' (not 'om snakker du'). 🇷🇺 Russian: 'om' = ли in indirect questions; word order stays S+V. 🇨🇿 Czech: Similar to 'jestli' clauses — no inversion after 'om'.

Questions with 'om'

Direct yes/no questions: Verb comes first.

Type

Example

Direct (verb-first)

Snakker du norsk? — Do you speak Norwegian?

Direct (verb-first)

Liker hun kaffe? — Does she like coffee?

Indirect questions with 'om': After 'om', use subject-verb order.

Type

Example

lurer på om

Jeg lurer på om du snakker norsk.

vet ikke om

Jeg vet ikke om hun liker kaffe.

Frequently asked questions

When is Spørsmål med «om» used?

Indirekte spørsmål med «om»: Etter «om» er ordstillingen subjekt-verb.

What are common mistakes with Spørsmål med «om»?

🇬🇧 English: Don't invert subject-verb after 'om' — 'Jeg lurer på om du snakker' (not 'om snakker du'). 🇷🇺 Russian: 'om' = ли in indirect questions; word order stays S+V. 🇨🇿 Czech: Similar to 'jestli' clauses — no inversion after 'om'.