Bokmålssverb

Bokmålssverb refers to verbs in the Bokmål variety of the Norwegian language. Bokmål is one of the two official written standards of Norwegian, the other being Nynorsk. Verbs in Bokmål follow a set of grammatical rules that distinguish them from verbs in other languages and from the Nynorsk standard.

Norwegian verbs are typically divided into four main conjugational classes based on their infinitive and past tense endings. These classes largely determine how a verb changes to indicate tense, mood, and voice. For example, Class 1 verbs often form their past tense by adding -et to the infinitive. Class 2 verbs add -te. Class 3 verbs have a past tense that is the same as the infinitive, and Class 4 verbs have irregular past tense forms.

The infinitive in Bokmål is usually preceded by the particle "å," similar to "to" in English. For instance, "å snakke" means "to speak." Tenses commonly include the present, past (preterite), perfect, and future. The present tense is often formed by adding -r to the infinitive stem. The perfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb "ha" (to have) and the past participle of the main verb.

Bokmål verbs also inflect for voice, with active and passive forms. The passive voice is often formed by adding the suffix -s to the verb in its present or past tense form, or by using the auxiliary verb "bli" (to become) followed by the past participle. Understanding Bokmålssverb is crucial for anyone learning or using the Bokmål written standard of Norwegian.