B1 Norwegian GrammarTwo-Way Prepositions
Master Norwegian prepositions that can express both location and direction. Learn when to use 'i' vs 'til', 'på' for surfaces, and how verbs determine whether prepositions express static location or movement.
1Location vs Direction Prepositions
Norwegian uses different prepositions for location (where?) and direction (where to?). 'I' indicates inside location, 'til' indicates direction to. 'På' can mean both on (location) and to (with certain places). The verb type helps determine meaning.
Location vs Direction
| Location | Direction | English |
|---|---|---|
| i huset | inn i huset | in/into the house |
| på bordet | på bordet | on/onto the table |
| i Oslo | til Oslo | in/to Oslo |
| på skolen | til skolen | at/to school |
Examples
Jeg er i Oslo.
I am in Oslo.
i = location
Jeg reiser til Oslo.
I travel to Oslo.
til = direction
Boka ligger på bordet.
The book is on the table.
på = on (location)
Legg boka på bordet.
Put the book on the table.
på with motion verb
2The Preposition 'I' (In/Inside)
'I' indicates location inside something. For movement into, use 'inn i' (into). 'I' is used for cities, countries, rooms, and containers. With motion verbs, 'i' alone can imply direction in some contexts.
Uses of 'I'
| Context | Location | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Room | i stua | inn i stua |
| City | i byen | inn til byen |
| Country | i Norge | til Norge |
| Container | i boksen | ned i boksen |
Examples
Hun sitter i stua.
She is sitting in the living room.
location inside
Hun går inn i stua.
She walks into the living room.
inn i = into
Vi bor i en leilighet.
We live in an apartment.
permanent location
Vi flytter inn i en leilighet.
We are moving into an apartment.
direction of movement
3The Preposition 'På' (On/At)
'På' indicates location on a surface or at a place. It works for both location and direction with surfaces. For institutions and activities, 'på' often means 'at' (på jobb, på skolen). Motion verbs determine if it means placing onto.
Uses of 'På'
| Context | Location | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | på gulvet | ned på gulvet |
| Institution | på kontoret | på kontoret |
| Activity | på jobb | på jobb |
| Island | på Fyn | til Fyn |
Examples
Katten sitter på stolen.
The cat is sitting on the chair.
på for surface
Katten hopper opp på stolen.
The cat jumps onto the chair.
opp på = onto
Han er på kontoret.
He is at the office.
på for workplace
Han går på kontoret.
He goes to the office.
direction with gå
4Verbs That Indicate Location or Motion
Norwegian has pairs of verbs: location verbs (være, sitte, ligge, stå) and motion verbs (gå, komme, legge, sette). The verb type determines if the preposition expresses where or where to. Motion verbs imply directional meaning.
Location vs Motion Verbs
| Location (State) | Motion (Action) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ligge | legge | lie / lay |
| sitte | sette | sit / set |
| stå | stille | stand / place |
| være | gå | be / go |
Examples
Boka ligger på bordet.
The book is lying on the table.
ligge = location
Jeg legger boka på bordet.
I lay the book on the table.
legge = motion
Han står i køkkenet.
He is standing in the kitchen.
stå = location
Han stiller seg i køkkenet.
He positions himself in the kitchen.
stille = motion