"Hun lager frokost selv."

Translation: She is making breakfast herself.

[KnuwlCarlson]

So could you not say she is making herself breakfast?

[GeoffreyCa301149]

Not really, and this is a distinction some European languages make that English doesn't (consider German "sich" vs "selbst"). In this case, selv means "by herself" rather than "for herself."

[LINHARS]

Your sentence is not an exact translation of the Norwegian sentence. Read the comments above, then you'll see the difference.

[jea1974]

Quick check to make sure I understand properly.

Han lager frokost selv - He is making breakfast himself.
Han lager selv frokost - he is making himself breakfast.

Er det riktig?

[grydolva]

Your examples are identical in meaning.

Han lager frokost til seg selv, or han lager sin egen frokost. He is making breakfast for himself. He is making his own breakfast.

[jea1974]

I tried "She is making herself breakfast" with the example above and it was not happy.

[grydolva]

She is making herself breakfast = Hun lager seg frokost = Hun lager frokost til seg selv. The breakfast is just for her and she makes it herself.

She is making breakfast herself = Hun lager frokost selv = Hun lager selv frokost. She is making the breakfast (participants not mentioned).

[jea1974]

Tusen takk for forklaringen.

Nu forstår jeg det bedre... :')

[McColl34]

Would "Han lager frokosten sin," work as well for "He is making his own breakfast?"