# Norwegian: hur kom det sig att...



## skandinavien

Hej --

Hvordan uttrykker man dette på norsk:

*Hur kom det sig att* ni hamnade i Norge?

(How did you end up in Norway?) 

...at dere havnet i Norway?

Håper dere kjenner igjen denne konstruksjonen -- enten på svensk eller engelsk.

Tusen takk!

< --- >


----------



## Ben Jamin

I would say "Hvordan havnet du/dere i Norge". (You use normally "du" if speaking to a single person, "dere" to many).
You can also say "Hvordan *skjedde *det at du havnet i Norge", if you want to translate the Swedish phrase more literally.


----------



## basslop

The direct translation from the Swedish expression would be: "Hvordan har det seg at dere havnet i Norge", which means quite the same as Ben Jamin's suggestion..


----------



## Ben Jamin

basslop said:


> The direct translation from the Swedish expression would be: "Hvordan har det seg at dere havnet i Norge", which means quite the same as Ben Jamin's suggestion..


But don't you think that "Hvordan har det seg ..." has a quite special tone?


----------



## basslop

Ben Jamin said:


> But don't you think that "Hvordan har det seg ..." has a quite special tone?



Hm .. you may be right: Maybe one could say interpreting/perceiving "Hvordan har det seg" depends much on the intonation. I agree that it is often used  an ironic or sarcastic way.


----------



## skandinavien

basslop said:


> Hm .. you may be right: Maybe one could say interpreting/perceiving "Hvordan har det seg" depends much on the intonation. I agree that it is often used an ironic or sarcastic way.



Could you give some examples of when it might be appropriate to say "Hvordan har det seg at..."? Thanks!


----------



## Ben Jamin

skandinavien said:


> Could you give some examples of when it might be appropriate to say "Hvordan har det seg at..."? Thanks!



I can't find an example just now, but for me it means something like "how on earth could it hapen that ...", i.e. expresses astonishment.


----------



## raumar

For me, "Hvordan har det seg at ..." does not necessarily express astonishment - it can also be just curiosity. I agree with basslop: it depends very much on the intonation -- how you say it, not exactly what you say. That makes it difficult to find any example. 

Having said that, I also agree with Ben that "Hvordan havnet du i Norge?" probably is the best way to ask this question.


----------



## Ben Jamin

raumar said:


> For me, "Hvordan har det seg at ..." does not necessarily express astonishment - it can also be just curiosity. I agree with basslop: it depends very much on the intonation -- how you say it, not exactly what you say. That makes it difficult to find any example.
> 
> Having said that, I also agree with Ben that "Hvordan havnet du i Norge?" probably is the best way to ask this question.


I should maybe rather have said "strong inquiry urge" rather than "astonishment".


----------

