All of this leaves us with the following main patterns for the inflection of nouns: Singular indefinite form M: F: N:
Plural definite form indefinite form
definite form
en bil
bilen
biler
bilene
en baker
bakeren
bakere
bakerne
a baker
a car
ei klokke
klokka
klokker
klokkene
a watch/
en klokke
klokken
klokker
klokkene
clock
et vindu
vinduet
vinduer
vinduene
a window
et hus
huset
hus
husene
a house (See page 134-136 for more information.)
The use of the definite form
In the main, Norwegian uses the definite form of nouns in much the same way that English does. The form indicates that something is known and identifiable for the listener; you know what is being referred to: Bilen er på verksted. De skal selge huset. Her er pizzaen. Ølet er godt!
The car is in the garage. They are selling the house. Here is the pizza. The beer is good!
Inevitably there are some differences! It seems that Norwegians are assuming that things are familiar, so the definite form occurs more often. It is particularly common with words for meals, institutions, and seasons: Middagen er klar! Jeg skal på skolen. Vi har det hyggelig i klassen. De går i kirken. Vi kommer tilbake til våren. Hvor skal dere være i jula?
Dinner is served! I’m off to school. We always have a good time in class. They go to church. We’ll be back in spring. Where are you staying for Christmas?
Norwegian also tends to prefer to use the definite form in many contexts where English would use possessive determiners. Jeg har brukket beinet. Jeg har vondt i ryggen. Han har mistet nøklene. Hun skal selge bilen. Han stakk hendene i lomma.
I have broken my leg. My back hurts. He has lost his keys. She is selling her car. He put his hands in his pockets.
When we are talking about body parts, possessive determiners can come across as slightly childish or peculiar in Norwegian – unless, that is, we are talking about someone else’s: Han brakk fingeren. Han brakk fingeren hans. 22
He broke his (own) finger. He broke his (another person’s) finger.