The subject can occur behind the first verb in a main clause in the following cases:
(1) Main clause yes-no-question:
Hoppet du?
“did you jump?”
(2) Main clause constituent question:
Hva skjenket du henne?
“what did you give her?”
| Hva |
| hva |
| whatNEUTSGQ |
| PROint |
| skjenket |
| skjenke | t |
| give | PRET |
| V |
| henne? |
| henne? |
| 3SGFEMACC |
| PN |
(3) Fronted adverbial in declarative main clause:
Idag har hun hoppet langt.
“today she has jumped far”
| hoppet |
| hoppe | t |
| jump | PRFPTCP |
| V |
(4) Topicalized noun phrase in declarative main clause:
Gaver skjenket hun ham hver dag.
“gifts she gave him every day”
| skjenket |
| skjenke | t |
| give | PRET |
| V |
| hver |
| hver |
| everyCOMMSG |
| QUANT |
In all cases the subject is moved behind the finite verb; this is generally referred to as Subject-Verb Inversion. In (1) this is all that happens, while in the other cases, an element is 'fronted', so to say taking over the original place of the subject.