StudyNorwegian•Ko-fiGrammar / Your Norwegian journey
B2Verbs and tenses

Past perfect

Identify an event earlier than another past event.

Bokmål · nb-NO
GRAMMATIKK · BOKMÅL

Past perfect

Use hadde plus a past participle for an event before another past event: hadde lest, hadde bestilt.

The rule, step by step

  1. The past perfect describes what happened before another past point or event.
  2. Build it with hadde and a past participle: hadde spist. Do not use the infinitive after hadde.
  3. Make the time relationship clear: when I arrived, they had left. It is not required for every old event.

Sentence pattern

hadde + lest / bestilt

Compare forms and usage
BokmålMeaning or use
har spisthas eaten: present connection
hadde spisthad eaten before a past event
kom / hadde kommetarrived / had arrived

Everyday examples

Example 1

Jeg hadde lest brevet før hun kom.

I had read the letter before she came.

Example 2

Vi hadde bestilt billetter før vi reiste.

We had booked tickets before we travelled.

Example 3

Da jeg kom hjem, hadde barna lagt seg.

When I came home, the children had gone to bed.

A common error or a difference in meaning

Form to review

Jeg hadde lese brevet.

Correct form for the intended meaning

Jeg hadde lest brevet.

Lese is an infinitive. After hadde, use the participle lest.

Put the rule into practice

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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: lage

Hun hadde _____ maten før vi kom.

SETT I REKKEFØLGE

Rebuild the example, starting with “Jeg”: I had read the letter before she came.

…

Continue with the same subject

Present tense A1Past tense A2Plans with skal A2Irregular past tense A2

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