Prepositions.  You knew the post was coming at some point.  You can’t talk or write for too long without using preposisjoner, so I better teach you them!  The following is Merriam-Webster’s definition of a preposisjon: : a function word that typically combines with a noun phrase to form a phrase which usually expresses a modification or predication.  I don’t know about you, but if I didn’t already know what preposisjoner were, I think I’d be confused (and I’m sure I was when I first learned about them in elementary school…).  Preposisjoner modify substantiver (nouns), locate something in time or space, and tell when or where or under what conditions something happened.  There are preposisjoner of time (i.e. at, on, in), of place (i.e. at, on, in), of movement (i.e. to), of time (i.e. for, since), with substantiver, adjektiver, and verber (i.e. hope for, jealous of, think about).  Now, let’s look at some common preposisjoner. 

om-about                             over-over                                under-under                           i-in

etter-after                            før-before                               på-on                                      til-to

rundt-around                       bak-behind                             nedenfor-beneath                  fra-from 

(i)mellom-between             dessuten-besides                   ved siden av-beside              ned-down 

under/i løpet av-during        unntatt-except                   mot-against/toward                lik-like  

ute-outside                         ut-out                                       inne-inside                              nær-near

av-of                                   siden-since                              tvers igjennom-throughout 

opp-up                               med-with                                   uten-without

Ok, I think that’s probably enough for now.  If you know these, you know most preposisjoner and will be able to create prepositional phrases and whole sentences much more easily.  Stay tuned for the next post where we will learn to use these in sentences.