sovner

Sovner is a Norwegian verb meaning to fall asleep. It is the present tense form of the verb å sovne, which describes the onset of sleep. The infinitive is sovne, and the simple past tense is sovnet. The past participle is also sovnet, so forms like han har sovnet mean “he has fallen asleep.” The verb is intransitive, typically used to indicate the moment when someone begins to sleep rather than the state of sleeping itself.

Usage and nuances: Sovner specifically denotes the act of falling asleep, often due to fatigue or darkness. It differs from sove or sover, which refer to being asleep or the ongoing act of sleeping. For example, Han sovner midt i møtet means “He is falling asleep in the middle of the meeting,” while Han sover nå means “He is sleeping now.” The phrase sovne can also be modified by prepositions to express cause, such as sovne av tretthet meaning to fall asleep from exhaustion.

Common expressions: In everyday Norwegian, sovner appears in contexts about fatigue, commuting, parental care, or late-night routines. It is closely related to other sleep-related terms such as søvn (sleep) and natten (the night). The form is used across Norwegian dialects, with minor pronunciation differences.

See also: sove, sover, søvn, natt.