The Infinitival S-Passive
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The s-passive allows you to express passive actions within infinitive clauses, adding a professional, concise tone to your Norwegian.
- Use the infinitive marker 'å' followed by the verb with an '-s' suffix: 'å gjøres'.
- It replaces 'å bli' + past participle, making sentences shorter and more formal.
- It is commonly used with modal verbs like 'må', 'bør', and 'kan'.
Infinitival S-Passive Formation
| Active Infinitive | Passive Infinitive | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
å gjøre
|
å gjøres
|
Det må gjøres
|
|
å sende
|
å sendes
|
Det bør sendes
|
|
å lese
|
å leses
|
Det kan leses
|
|
å bygge
|
å bygges
|
Det skal bygges
|
|
å løse
|
å løses
|
Det må løses
|
|
å vurdere
|
å vurderes
|
Det bør vurderes
|
|
å ta
|
å tas
|
Det må tas
|
|
å si
|
å sies
|
Det kan sies
|
Meanings
The infinitival s-passive is a compact way to express passive voice in infinitive clauses. It is frequently used in formal writing, news reports, and instructions.
Obligation/Necessity
Expressing that something needs to be done.
“Dette må gjøres.”
“Oppgaven bør skrives ferdig.”
Possibility/Ability
Expressing that something can be done.
“Det kan gjøres enkelt.”
“Det kan ikke sies med ord.”
Future/Intention
Expressing future passive actions.
“Det skal gjøres senere.”
“Det vil sies på møtet.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Modal + Verb-s
|
Det må gjøres
|
|
Negative
|
Modal + ikke + Verb-s
|
Det må ikke gjøres
|
|
Question
|
Modal + Subject + Verb-s
|
Må det gjøres?
|
|
Past (Modal)
|
Modal-past + Verb-s
|
Det måtte gjøres
|
|
Perfect (Modal)
|
Modal + ha + Verb-s
|
Det må ha gjøres (rare)
|
|
Passive-only
|
Verb-s
|
Det sies at...
|
Formalitätsspektrum
Rapporten må sendes. (Work)
Vi må sende rapporten. (Work)
Vi må sende rapporten. (Work)
Send rapporten. (Work)
S-Passive Usage
Modal Verbs
- må must
- bør should
- kan can
Contexts
- Formelt Formal
- Skriftlig Written
Beispiele nach Niveau
Det må gjøres.
It must be done.
Det kan sees.
It can be seen.
Det bør sies.
It should be said.
Det skal gjøres.
It shall be done.
Dette må skrives nå.
This must be written now.
Det kan ikke sies.
It cannot be said.
Det bør sendes i dag.
It should be sent today.
Det skal leses av alle.
It shall be read by everyone.
Søknaden må sendes før fredag.
The application must be sent before Friday.
Dette kan løses på en enkel måte.
This can be solved in a simple way.
Det bør vurderes nøye.
It should be considered carefully.
Det skal bygges et nytt hus.
A new house shall be built.
Reglene må følges strengt.
The rules must be followed strictly.
Dette problemet kan ikke ignoreres.
This problem cannot be ignored.
Det bør tas hensyn til alle.
Consideration should be given to everyone.
Det skal foretas en undersøkelse.
An investigation shall be conducted.
Beslutningen må forankres i styret.
The decision must be anchored in the board.
Det kan ikke utelukkes at feil har skjedd.
It cannot be ruled out that errors have occurred.
Det bør legges til rette for dialog.
Conditions should be laid for dialogue.
Det skal utarbeides en rapport.
A report shall be prepared.
Det må tilskrives en misforståelse.
It must be attributed to a misunderstanding.
Det kan ikke betviles at dette er korrekt.
It cannot be doubted that this is correct.
Det bør etterstrebes enighet.
Agreement should be strived for.
Det skal iverksettes tiltak umiddelbart.
Measures shall be implemented immediately.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners mix up 'bli' + participle and s-passive.
Learners use active voice when passive is needed.
Some verbs end in 's' naturally.
Häufige Fehler
Det må gjøres-s
Det må gjøres
Det mås gjøre
Det må gjøres
Det blir gjøres
Det gjøres
Det må gjøre
Det må gjøres
Det kan ikke gjøres-s
Det kan ikke gjøres
Det bør sies-s
Det bør sies
Det skal gjøres-s
Det skal gjøres
Det må bli gjøres
Det må gjøres
Det må gjøres av meg
Det må gjøres
Det må gjøres i dag-s
Det må gjøres i dag
Det må gjøres-es
Det må gjøres
Det kan sies-s
Det kan sies
Det må gjøres-s-s
Det må gjøres
Det må gjøres-s
Det må gjøres
Satzmuster
Det må ___ i dag.
Det kan ikke ___.
Det bør ___ nøye.
Det skal ___ i morgen.
Real World Usage
Søknaden må sendes elektronisk.
Knappen må trykkes to ganger.
Ny lov skal vedtas.
Dette bør vurderes før møtet.
Gresset må ikke betrås.
Tiltak må iverksettes.
Use with Modals
Avoid Double S
Professional Tone
Impersonal Style
Smart Tips
Use the s-passive to sound professional.
Use the s-passive for impersonal rules.
Use the s-passive to focus on the task.
Use the s-passive for clear instructions.
Aussprache
S-suffix
The 's' is pronounced as a sharp /s/ sound.
Statement
Det må gjøres ↘
Neutral, firm statement.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of the 'S' as 'Silent' or 'Standard' — it makes the sentence standard and professional.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a formal document with a stamp that says '-S' on every action verb.
Rhyme
When the task is clear and needs to be done, add an 's' to make it fun.
Story
The manager stood at the whiteboard. He wrote 'Må gjøres' (Must be done). He didn't say who, because the task was more important than the person.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write 5 sentences about your daily tasks using 'må' + s-passive.
Kulturelle Hinweise
The s-passive is highly valued in Norwegian business culture for its directness and lack of blame.
Academic writing in Norway almost exclusively uses the s-passive for objectivity.
Government documents use it to sound authoritative yet neutral.
The s-passive originates from the Old Norse reflexive pronoun 'sik' (himself/themselves), which merged with the verb.
Gesprächseinstiege
Hva må gjøres i dag?
Kan dette løses?
Bør det sies noe?
Skal det bygges noe nytt?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
Dette må ___ (gjøre) i dag.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Det mås gjøres.
Vi må lese boken.
The s-passive is used for informal texting.
A: Hva med rapporten? B: Den må ___.
må / gjøres / det
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesDette må ___ (gjøre) i dag.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Det mås gjøres.
Vi må lese boken.
The s-passive is used for informal texting.
A: Hva med rapporten? B: Den må ___.
må / gjøres / det
Match: å bygge
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
It's possible, but it might sound a bit stiff or formal.
They are similar in meaning, but the s-passive is more formal and concise.
Most transitive verbs do, but some intransitive verbs don't work well.
Because of the '-s' suffix added to the verb.
Yes, it works well with 'må', 'bør', 'kan', and 'skal'.
Yes, it is very common in news headlines and reports.
You don't add another 's'.
No, it just changes the voice from active to passive.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Se + verb
Spanish 'se' is a separate word, while Norwegian '-s' is a suffix.
On + verb
French 'on' is a pronoun, Norwegian '-s' is a suffix.
Man + verb
German 'man' is a pronoun, Norwegian '-s' is a suffix.
Passive suffix -reru
Japanese suffix is much longer and changes based on conjugation.
Passive voice (vowel change)
Arabic is internal, Norwegian is suffix-based.
Bei + agent
Chinese 'bei' requires an agent, Norwegian s-passive is agentless.
