Norwegian can modify expressions by using a wide selection of short adverbs with little or no stress, that can express doubt, politeness, irritation, etc. How you use these adverbs is one of the things that will indicate your degree of mastery/understanding in Norwegian.
The lady’s marital status in the examples below doesn’t actually change, the adverbs merely indicate what the speaker believes that status to be:
Hun er sikkert gift. I’m sure she’s married.
Hun er nok gift. She’s probably married.
Hun er vel gift. I’d guess she’s married.
Hun er visst gift. I’ve heard she’s married.
Hun er kanskje gift. Maybe she is married.
Hun er neppe gift. I doubt she’s married.These unaccented adverbs have a fairly regular position in the sentence, they follow immediately after the verb. The same adverb can sometimes indicate slightly different nuances of meaning, depending on tone of voice and the context. Click the link for each one for more information.
From Exploring Norwegian Grammar by Kirsti Mac Donald and Marianne MacDonald.


