Sanitetsteltet står ved inngangen.

Norwegian very often makes compound nouns by joining words together into one word.

• sanitet = medical/first-aid services, field medical aid
• telt = tent
• sanitetstelt = first-aid tent / medical tent

Then -et is added to make it definite:

• et sanitetstelt = a first-aid tent
• sanitetsteltet = the first-aid tent

So sanitetsteltet is a normal Norwegian compound noun in the definite form.

It marks the noun as definite, like the in English.

The base noun is telt, which is a neuter noun:

• et telt = a tent
• teltet = the tent

The same pattern applies to the compound:

• et sanitetstelt = a first-aid tent
• sanitetsteltet = the first-aid tent

In Norwegian, the definite article is often attached to the end of the noun instead of standing as a separate word.

Norwegian often uses verbs like stå (stand), ligge (lie), and sitte (sit) where English would simply use be.

So:

• Sanitetsteltet står ved inngangen. = literally The first-aid tent stands by the entrance = naturally in English The first-aid tent is by the entrance

Using står suggests the tent is upright / set up / positioned there. This is very natural in Norwegian for buildings, tents, signs, and other things that have a standing position.

Ved usually means by, near, or at depending on context.

In this sentence, ved inngangen means:

• by the entrance
• near the entrance
• sometimes naturally translated as at the entrance

So ved tells you the location of the tent relative to the entrance.

Inngangen is the definite form of inngang:

• en inngang = an entrance
• inngangen = the entrance

So ved inngangen means by the entrance.

If you said ved en inngang, that would mean by an entrance. In many real situations, Norwegian prefers the definite form when the place is understood from context.

That depends on the noun’s grammatical gender.

• inngang is a masculine noun:

  • en inngang
  • inngangen

• telt is a neuter noun:

  • et telt
  • teltet

Very broadly:

• masculine nouns often take -en in the definite singular
• neuter nouns often take -et in the definite singular

This is something learners gradually get used to as they learn each noun with its article: en inngang, et telt.

Yes, that would be understandable, and it is not grammatically wrong. But står sounds more idiomatic in this context.

Compare:

• Sanitetsteltet står ved inngangen.
  More natural if you are describing where the tent is set up.

• Sanitetsteltet er ved inngangen.
  Also understandable, but a bit less specific and a little less typically Norwegian in this kind of physical-location description.

So står is usually the better choice here.

The sentence follows standard Norwegian word order:

• Sanitetsteltet = subject
• står = verb
• ved inngangen = place expression

So the pattern is:

Subject + Verb + Place

This is the normal order in a simple statement.

Then Norwegian uses verb-second word order. The verb still has to come in the second position.

So you get:

• Ved inngangen står sanitetsteltet.

Not:

• Ved inngangen sanitetsteltet står. ❌

This fronted version is correct, but it sounds more marked or descriptive, as if you are emphasizing the location.

Not here. This is a possible false friend.

In this sentence, sanitet refers to medical aid / first aid / medical services, especially in practical or emergency contexts. So sanitetstelt means a first-aid tent or medical tent, not a tent related to cleaning or sanitation.

A rough guide for an English speaker is:

sah-nee-TEHT-tel-teh stor vehd ING-gahng-en

A few helpful points:

• å in står is a rounded vowel, somewhat like the vowel in British more, but not exactly the same.
• ng in inngangen is like the ng sound in sing.
• The t in teltet is pronounced; the word is not swallowed as much as in casual English.

Pronunciation varies by dialect, but this rough guide should help you recognize the sentence.