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A2Verbs and tenses

Irregular past tense

Recognise irregular past forms in sentences.

Bokmål · nb-NO
GRAMMATIKK · BOKMÅL

Irregular past tense

Some past-tense verbs change their stem: dra → dro, ta → tok, finne → fant. Learn them in sentences.

The rule, step by step

  1. Do not create irregular past forms by adding a regular ending: ta becomes tok, gå becomes gikk.
  2. Learn the infinitive, present and past together, then use the past in a short time-based sentence.
  3. The past does not change with the pronoun: jeg tok, de tok. Var is the past of være.

Sentence pattern

gå → gikk · ta → tok

Compare forms and usage
BokmålMeaning or use
gå → går → gikkgo
ta → tar → toktake
finne → finner → fantfind
være → er → varbe

Everyday examples

Example 1

Vi gikk til skolen i går.

We walked to school yesterday.

Example 2

Hun tok toget til Oslo.

She took the train to Oslo.

Example 3

I går fant jeg nøklene mine.

Yesterday I found my keys.

A common error or a difference in meaning

Form to review

Hun taket toget.

Correct form for the intended meaning

Hun tok toget.

Ta is irregular. Its past is tok; taket is not its past-tense form.

Put the rule into practice

0/3

Personal review progress on this device. It does not complete a reading lesson or award XP.

VELG

Choose the form that fits the rule and meaning explained in this lesson.

FYLL INN

Complete the gap using the appropriate form of the given word.

Given word: være

Hun _____ hjemme i går.

SETT I REKKEFØLGE

Rebuild the example, starting with “Vi”: We walked to school yesterday.

…

Continue with the same subject

Present tense A1Past tense A2Plans with skal A2Passive voice B2

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