aldri

Aldri is a Norwegian adverb meaning "never." It is used to express that a particular event or situation has not occurred and will not occur, covering negation of actions, states, or propositions in general.

Etymology and relations: Aldri is a North Germanic cognate of Danish aldrig, Swedish aldrig, and Icelandic aldrei. These forms share a common origin in Old Norse and medieval Norwegian, and they are used with the same semantic function across these languages. The word is standard in both Bokmål and Nynorsk.

Usage and grammar: Aldri functions as a negator for verbs and clauses. It is typically used without the negation word ikke and can appear before or after the subject, depending on emphasis. Examples: Jeg har aldri vært i Oslo. (I have never been to Oslo.) Aldri har jeg sett noe så merkelig. (Never have I seen something so strange.) In ordinary word order, the sentence can be Jeg har aldri sett noe lignende. Aldri expresses a total negation rather than a partial one, and it is often intensified in exclamatory or formal contexts.

Variations and related forms: The corresponding forms in related languages are aldrig (Danish, Swedish) and aldrei (Icelandic). While used similarly, idiomatic differences may occur in emphasis and placement within a sentence. Aldri is not used as an adjective and does not inflect for number or gender.

See also: negation in Norwegian, never in other languages, related North Germanic cognates.