When using the adjective "sen" in Norwegian, it's important to understand its nuances. Just like in English, it describes something happening after the usual or expected time. For example, you might say "Jeg er sen til møtet" (I am late for the meeting). You can also use it to talk about a "late" time of day, like "det er sent på kvelden" (it's late in the evening).
One common phrase is "for sent," meaning "too late," as in "Det er for sent å snu" (It's too late to turn back). Remember that "sen" is an adjective, so its form might change depending on the gender and number of the noun it modifies, though in many common uses it remains unchanged, particularly when referring to a state of being late.
When we talk about something being sen, it means it's late. This can apply to times, appointments, or even people. It's a very common adjective in Norwegian.
For example, if you're running behind schedule, you might say "Jeg er sen." (I am late.) It's also used in phrases like "det er for sent" (it's too late).
Remember to adjust the ending of "sen" if it's describing a plural or a definite noun. However, as an adjective often used predicatively (after a form of "å være" - to be), it frequently remains in its base form.
§ What does sen mean?
The Norwegian word "sen" is an adjective that translates directly to "late" in English. It's used to describe something happening after the expected or usual time. You'll hear and use this word very often in daily conversations, so it's a good one to get comfortable with early on. Think of all the times you say "late" in English, and you'll have a good idea of when to use "sen" in Norwegian.
- Definition
- late
It's important to remember that, like many Norwegian adjectives, "sen" will change its form depending on the noun it modifies. We'll look at those changes in more detail later, but for now, focus on the core meaning.
§ When do people use sen?
Norwegians use "sen" in many of the same contexts you'd use "late" in English. Here are some common situations:
- Being late for an appointment or event: This is probably the most frequent use. If you're running behind schedule, you'll use "sen."
- Something arriving or happening late: Packages, buses, trains, or even the spring season can be described as "sen."
- Being up late or staying out late: If you're not going to bed early, you're "sen."
- A late hour or time of day: You can talk about a "sen kveld" (late evening) or "sen natt" (late night).
§ Examples of sen in use
Let's look at some practical examples to help you see how "sen" fits into sentences:
Jeg er sen til møtet.
This means: "I am late for the meeting." (Jeg = I, er = am, til = for, møtet = the meeting)
Bussen er sen i dag.
This translates to: "The bus is late today." (Bussen = The bus, er = is, i dag = today)
Jeg skal ikke være sen hjem.
This means: "I will not be late home." or "I won't be home late." (Jeg = I, skal ikke = will not, være = be, hjem = home)
Det er en sen kveld.
This translates to: "It is a late evening." (Det = It, er = is, en = a, kveld = evening)
Getting the feel for "sen" in these basic structures will really help you sound more natural in Norwegian. Practice these simple sentences, and don't be afraid to try using "sen" in your own conversations.
§ Understanding 'Sen': Late
The Norwegian word 'sen' means 'late'. It's an adjective you'll hear and use often. Just like in English, it can describe someone who is not on time, or something that happens past its expected time. Getting a good grip on 'sen' will make your Norwegian sound much more natural.
- DEFINITION
- late
§ 'Sen' at Work
Being 'sen' at work is probably something you want to avoid! But you'll definitely hear colleagues talk about it, or even use it to describe a meeting or a deadline. Here are a few ways 'sen' comes up in a work setting.
Jeg er beklager, jeg er sen til møtet.
This means: "I am sorry, I am late for the meeting." A common apology you might hear or need to say.
Prosjektet er litt sent.
This means: "The project is a little late." Projects often run behind schedule, so this is a useful phrase.
Leveringsfristen er senere denne uken.
Here, 'senere' (later) is used. It means: "The delivery deadline is later this week." This isn't 'late' in a negative sense, but simply referring to a later point in time.
§ 'Sen' in School and Education
Students, teachers, and school administrators will use 'sen' quite often. Think about submitting assignments, arriving for class, or even discussing school events.
Ikke vær sen til timen.
This is a direct instruction: "Don't be late for class." You'll hear this from teachers, or you might say it to your kids!
Jeg leverte oppgaven sent.
Meaning: "I submitted the assignment late." A common situation for many students.
Det er for sent å endre det nå.
This means: "It is too late to change it now." A useful phrase when a decision has already been made or a deadline passed.
§ 'Sen' in the News and Media
When you read or watch Norwegian news, 'sen' can describe delays, late developments, or even late-breaking news. Keep an ear out for it when reading headlines or listening to reports.
Nyheten kom sent på kvelden.
This translates to: "The news came late in the evening." Often used for important updates that happen after normal hours.
Politiet kom for sent.
Meaning: "The police arrived too late." This implies that their arrival was not in time to prevent something.
Den sene utviklingen i saken.
Here, 'sene' (the plural/definite form) is used to mean: "The late development in the case." Referring to recent, or last-minute, information.
- Sen ettermiddag: Late afternoon
- For sent: Too late
- Sen kveld: Late evening
§ Mistakes people make with this word
The Norwegian word 'sen' means 'late'. It's a straightforward word, but English speakers often make a few common mistakes when using it. Let's look at these so you can avoid them.
- DEFINITION
- sen (adjective): late
The biggest issue is often forgetting to inflect 'sen' when necessary. Like many Norwegian adjectives, 'sen' changes its form depending on the noun it describes or its grammatical function in the sentence.
§ Mistake 1: Not inflecting for gender and number
When 'sen' describes a noun, it must agree with the noun's gender and number. This means you'll see 'sen', 'sent', or 'sene'.
- En word (masculine/feminine singular): You use 'sen'.
- Et word (neuter singular): You use 'sent'.
- Plural words (all genders): You use 'sene'.
Many learners, fresh from English, forget this essential aspect of Norwegian grammar.
Jeg er sen. (I am late.)
Here, 'jeg' (I) is singular, and it's describing the state of 'I', so 'sen' is used.
Det er sent. (It is late.)
In this case, 'det' (it) often refers to a neuter concept or a general situation, hence 'sent'.
Vi er sene. (We are late.)
'Vi' (we) is plural, so 'sene' is the correct form.
§ Mistake 2: Confusing 'sen' with 'for sent' or 'tidlig'
While 'sen' means 'late', you need to be careful with phrases like 'too late'. In English, we might say "I'm too late," but in Norwegian, you often use 'for sent'. 'For sen' is technically possible, but 'for sent' is much more common when describing the general state of being too late.
Det er for sent å snu nå. (It is too late to turn back now.)
Also, don't confuse 'sen' with its opposite, 'tidlig' (early). This seems obvious, but in fast conversation, sometimes words can get mixed up.
Jeg kom tidlig til møtet. (I came early to the meeting.)
Versus:
Jeg kom sent til møtet. (I came late to the meeting.)
§ Mistake 3: Using 'sen' incorrectly as an adverb
When 'late' acts as an adverb in English (e.g., "He arrived late"), in Norwegian, you usually use the neuter form 'sent'. This is a common pattern for adjectives used as adverbs.
Han kom sent hjem. (He came home late.)
Here, 'sent' modifies the verb 'kom' (came), telling us *how* he came. It's not describing 'han' (he) directly, but the action.
De la seg sent i går. (They went to bed late yesterday.)
By being mindful of these common pitfalls, you'll use 'sen' much more accurately and sound more natural in Norwegian. Practice these forms, and they will become second nature.
रोचक तथ्य
The English word 'sene' (meaning 'late') is a cognate, though it's rarely used today.
कठिनाई स्तर
short
short
short
short
आगे क्या सीखें
पूर्वापेक्षाएँ
आगे सीखें
उन्नत
स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण
Jeg er sen.
I am late.
Han kommer alltid for sent.
He always comes too late.
Klokka er sen.
The clock is late. (It's late in the day.)
Vi spiste sen middag.
We ate a late dinner.
Det er for sent nå.
It is too late now.
Er du sen til jobben?
Are you late for work?
Ikke vær sen!
Don't be late!
Bussen var sen i dag.
The bus was late today.
Jeg er ofte sen til jobben, spesielt hvis jeg ikke drikker kaffe først.
I am often late for work, especially if I don't drink coffee first.
Here, 'sen' is used with the verb 'å være' (to be).
Filmen startet ti minutter sen, så vi måtte vente litt ekstra.
The film started ten minutes late, so we had to wait a little extra.
'Sen' describes the state of the film's start time.
Ikke kom for sent til middag, maten blir kald!
Don't come too late for dinner, the food will get cold!
'For sent' means 'too late', used as an adverb.
Det er aldri for sent å lære et nytt språk, begynn i dag!
It's never too late to learn a new language, start today!
Another example of 'for sent' as an adverbial phrase.
Hun er alltid sen med å svare på e-poster, det er litt irriterende.
She is always late to respond to emails, it's a bit annoying.
'Sen med' means 'late with' or 'slow to'.
Toget var sen på grunn av tekniske problemer.
The train was late due to technical problems.
'Sen' here acts as an adjective describing the train's status.
Vi måtte jobbe sent i går for å bli ferdige med prosjektet.
We had to work late yesterday to finish the project.
'Sent' is used here as an adverb, meaning 'late in the evening/night'.
Det ble en sen kveld, men det var verdt det.
It became a late night, but it was worth it.
'Sen' modifies 'kveld' (evening/night).
सामान्य शब्द संयोजन
सामान्य वाक्यांश
Jeg er sen.
I am late.
Er du for sen?
Are you too late?
Bussen er sen.
The bus is late.
Vi må ikke bli for sene.
We must not be too late.
Det er aldri for sent å lære.
It is never too late to learn.
Jeg kom for sent til møtet.
I came too late for the meeting. (I was late for the meeting.)
Vi spiste sen middag i går.
We ate late dinner yesterday.
Det blir en sen kveld.
It will be a late evening.
Hvorfor er du så sen?
Why are you so late?
Ikke vær sen!
Don't be late!
व्याकरण पैटर्न
वाक्य संरचनाएँ
Jeg er sen. (I am late.)
Jeg er sen til møtet. (I am late for the meeting.)
Du er sen. (You are late.)
Du er sen i dag. (You are late today.)
Han/hun er sen. (He/she is late.)
Han er sen til jobben. (He is late for work.)
Vi er sene. (We are late.)
Vi er sene til middag. (We are late for dinner.)
De er sene. (They are late.)
De er sene til skolen. (They are late for school.)
Det er for sent. (It is too late.)
Nå er det for sent å dra. (Now it is too late to go.)
Være sen til noe. (To be late for something.)
Jeg er ofte sen til timer. (I am often late for classes.)
Komme for sent. (To arrive too late.)
Ikke kom for sent til eksamen. (Don't arrive too late for the exam.)
याद करें
स्मृति सहायक
Think of a 'sen'ior citizen who might move a bit 'late' or be 'late' for appointments sometimes. Or, imagine someone saying 'seen you late!' to a perpetually tardy friend.
दृश्य संबंध
Picture a clock with its hands stuck at a very late hour, perhaps surrounded by a 'sen'se of urgency. Or, visualize a friend running 'late' and you are 'seen' waiting for them.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Try to use 'sen' in a sentence about your own day. For example, 'Jeg er sen fordi jeg sov lenge' (I am late because I slept long). Or, tell a story where someone is constantly late using this word.
शब्द की उत्पत्ति
Old Norse
मूल अर्थ: slow, late
North Germanicसांस्कृतिक संदर्भ
When someone is <i>sen</i> in Norway, it's generally understood as being behind schedule, rather than implying a moral failing. Norwegians value punctuality, so it's good to be aware of how you use this word, especially in professional contexts.
खुद को परखो 78 सवाल
Jeg er alltid ___ til skolen. (I am always ___ for school.)
The sentence indicates being 'late' for school. 'Sen' means late.
Er du ___ i dag? (Are you ___ today?)
The question implies asking if someone is 'late' today. 'Sen' fits here.
Filmen starter ___ . (The movie starts ___.)
The sentence implies the movie starts 'late'. 'Sen' is the correct adjective.
Vi kommer til å være ___ til festen. (We are going to be ___ for the party.)
The sentence means 'late' for the party. 'Sen' is the correct choice.
Ikke kom for ___! (Don't be too ___!)
The phrase 'Don't be too late!' is common. 'Sen' means late.
Klokken er ___ allerede. (It is ___ already.)
This implies that the time is 'late' already. 'Sen' is the fitting word.
Which word means 'late'?
'Sen' means late. 'Tidlig' means early. 'Rask' means fast. 'Langsom' means slow.
Choose the correct translation for 'I am late.'
'Jeg er sen' directly translates to 'I am late'.
The opposite of 'sen' (late) is...
'Tidlig' means early, which is the opposite of 'sen' (late).
'Sen' can be used to describe someone arriving after the expected time.
Yes, 'sen' is used to describe being late, for example, 'Jeg er sen' (I am late).
The word 'sen' means 'early'.
No, 'sen' means 'late'. The word for 'early' is 'tidlig'.
You can say 'Bussen er sen' to mean 'The bus is late'.
This is a correct usage of 'sen' to describe something being late.
Jeg er alltid ___ til møter. (I am always ___ for meetings.)
The sentence indicates someone is 'always late' for meetings. 'Sen' means late.
Bussen er ofte ___ om morgenen. (The bus is often ___ in the morning.)
To say the bus is 'often late' in the morning, 'sen' is the correct word.
Hun kom ___ hjem i går kveld. (She came home ___ last night.)
Here, 'sent' is used as an adverb to describe when she came home, meaning 'late'.
Er du ___ til avtalen vår? (Are you ___ for our appointment?)
To ask if someone is 'late' for an appointment, 'sen' is the appropriate adjective.
Det er aldri for ___ å lære et nytt språk. (It's never too ___ to learn a new language.)
The phrase 'never too late' uses 'sent' as an adverb.
Vi må ikke være ___. (We must not be ___.)
When referring to 'we' (plural), the adjective 'sen' becomes 'sene' to agree in number. We must not be 'late'.
The speaker is saying they are late today.
What is often late?
A question about being late for an appointment.
Read this aloud:
Jeg er alltid sen.
Focus: sen
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Hvorfor er du så sen?
Focus: så sen
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Unnskyld, jeg er sen.
Focus: Unnskyld
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
What does the speaker often experience?
Why was she late home from work?
What is the speaker asking about the time?
Read this aloud:
Jeg liker ikke å være sen til avtaler.
Focus: sen
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Det er aldri for sent å lære et nytt språk.
Focus: sent
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Unnskyld at jeg er sen, bussen var forsinket.
Focus: Unnskyld, sen
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Jeg var så ___ til møtet at jeg gikk glipp av starten.
The context implies missing the start of a meeting, so 'sen' (late) is the correct fit.
Det er bedre å komme fem minutter for tidlig enn å være for ___.
This is a common saying, 'better early than late'.
Hvis du kommer for ___ til filmen, vil du ikke forstå plottet.
Coming late to a movie would mean missing the beginning and not understanding the plot.
Jeg håper jeg ikke er for ___ til å søke på jobben, fristen er snart.
Given that the deadline is soon, the concern is about being 'too late'.
De har en tendens til å være ___ med å levere prosjekter, noe som skaper problemer for teamet.
If it creates problems for the team, being 'late' with project delivery is the logical choice.
Pass på å ikke være for ___ til avtalen med legen; de er veldig punktlige.
Doctors being punctual means you should avoid being 'late' for your appointment.
Hva er en vanlig grunn til at folk er sene til et møte?
Å ta feil buss er en klassisk årsak til å bli forsinket.
Når man sier 'bedre sent enn aldri', hva betyr det?
Uttrykket 'bedre sent enn aldri' understreker at selv om noe er forsinket, er det positivt at det blir gjort til slutt.
Hva er en høflig måte å beklage at du er sen på?
Dette er en høflig og forklarende unnskyldning for å være forsinket.
Hvis noen sier 'du er alltid sen', betyr det at personen aldri kommer i tide.
Uttrykket 'alltid sen' indikerer en gjentatt tendens til å være forsinket, selv om det kan være unntak.
Å være 'sen på avtrekkeren' betyr at man reagerer raskt.
Å være 'sen på avtrekkeren' betyr det motsatte; man er treg til å reagere eller ta en beslutning.
I Norge er det vanligvis akseptabelt å være sen til en avtale uten å gi beskjed.
I Norge, som i mange andre land, forventes det at man gir beskjed hvis man blir forsinket til en avtale som et tegn på respekt.
Try to catch the word for 'late' and the context of being 'often' to something.
Listen for 'late' in the context of time and needing to leave.
Focus on 'late' describing a type of greeting.
Read this aloud:
Jeg er sen i dag, beklager forsinkelsen.
Focus: sen
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Hvorfor er du alltid så sen?
Focus: sen
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Jeg liker å stå opp sent i helgene.
Focus: sent
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
The correct order for this sentence is 'Hun kommer alltid sen' (She always comes late).
The correct order for this sentence is 'Toget var veldig senere' (The train was very late). 'Senere' is the comparative form of 'sen'.
The correct order for this sentence is 'Ikke bli sen til konserten' (Don't be late for the concert).
På grunn av uventede forsinkelser ble leveransen av de nye maskinene ___.
The context implies a delay, so 'senere' (later) fits best to describe the delivery.
Til tross for iherdig innsats fra teamet, ble prosjektet levert flere uker ___ enn opprinnelig planlagt.
The phrase 'flere uker ___ enn opprinnelig planlagt' indicates a delay, making 'senere' (later) the correct choice.
Møtet trakk ut i tid, og mange deltakere måtte jobbe ___ utover kvelden for å fullføre diskusjonene.
The context 'utover kvelden' (into the evening) implies working late, so 'sent' (late, as an adverb) is appropriate.
Den ___ ankomsten av nøkkelkomponentene forsinket produksjonen betraktelig.
'Sene' (late) is the correct adjective to describe the arrival (ankomsten) of the components that caused a delay.
På grunn av dårlig værforhold forventes flyet å bli en time ___.
The phrase 'bli en time ___' means to be an hour late, so 'sent' (late) is correct.
Historikere diskuterer om oppdagelsen av Amerika skjedde ___ enn det som tradisjonelt har blitt antatt.
The sentence suggests a debate about whether an event happened 'later' than commonly believed. 'Senere' (later) fits this meaning.
The autumn arrived late this year, and the leaves on the trees are still green.
It's never too late to learn a new language, even if it requires dedication and patience.
Due to unforeseen delays, the delivery of the goods was unfortunately late in the evening.
Read this aloud:
Jeg har en følelse av at vi kommer for sent til toget hvis vi ikke skynder oss.
Focus: følelse, kommer, sent, toget, skynder
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Det er viktig å ankomme i tide til møtet, ettersom det er sent på dagen og mange har andre avtaler.
Focus: viktig, ankomme, tide, møtet, ettersom, sent, avtaler
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Selv om det er sent på sesongen, håper jeg fortsatt å få tid til en siste skitur.
Focus: selv, sent, sesongen, håper, fortsatt, siste, skitur
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This common idiom means 'It is better late than never.'
This sentence translates to 'The bus arrived late last night.' It tests the placement of 'sent' (late).
This translates to 'She showed up much too late for the appointment.' It checks the adverbial use of 'sent' and 'altfor' (much too).
This sentence means 'It is too late to turn back now.' The word order for 'too late' is 'for sent'.
This sentence means 'Don't be too late for the meeting.' The negative 'ikke' comes before the verb 'kom'.
This sentence means 'I am often late for work.' The adverb 'ofte' comes after the verb 'er'.
/ 78 correct
Perfect score!
संबंधित सामग्री
संदर्भ में सीखें
यह शब्द अन्य भाषाओं में
संबंधित ग्रामर रूल्स
संबंधित मुहावरे
general के और शब्द
advare
B1To warn someone about a danger or risk
akseptabel
B2acceptable or satisfactory
aktiv
B1engaged in physical or mental activity
aktsom
C1careful or cautious in one's actions
aktuell
B1Current or relevant to the present time
allikevel
B2nevertheless; anyway
alt
A1everything
altfor
B1Too much or excessively
alvorlig
B1Serious or severe.
anbefale
B1To recommend something to someone
