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Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Pusteteknikken er viktig. - Breathing technique is important.

Hardcore Norwegian
/Joining a community choir
/Pusteteknikken er viktig.

Pusteteknikken er viktig.

Word

Pusteteknikken er viktig.

Meaning

Breathing technique is important.

Part of speech

sentence

Pronunciation

Course

Hardcore Norwegian

Lesson

Joining a community choir

Breakdown of Pusteteknikken er viktig.

the breathing technique

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Questions & Answers about Pusteteknikken er viktig.

Why does pusteteknikken end in -en?

Because -en is the usual definite singular ending for many common-gender nouns in Norwegian.

en pusteteknikk = a breathing technique
pusteteknikken = the breathing technique

So the noun itself carries the meaning of the.

What is the dictionary form of pusteteknikken?

The dictionary form is pusteteknikk.

A few useful forms are:

en pusteteknikk = indefinite singular
pusteteknikken = definite singular
pusteteknikker = indefinite plural
pusteteknikkene = definite plural

So if you look the word up, you would usually search for pusteteknikk.

Why is pusteteknikk written as one word?

Norwegian very often combines words into compound nouns.

So pusteteknikk is one compound word:

puste = to breathe
teknikk = technique

Together, they form pusteteknikk. This is very normal in Norwegian. English often writes similar ideas as two words, but Norwegian often prefers one.

Why isn’t there a separate word for the, like in English?

In Norwegian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of standing in front of it.

So:

the book → boken
the breathing technique → pusteteknikken

A separate word such as den is used in certain situations, especially when there is an adjective before the noun:

den viktige pusteteknikken = the important breathing technique

But in your sentence, there is no adjective directly before the noun, so pusteteknikken by itself is enough.

What does er mean here?

Er is the present tense of å være, which means to be.

So:

jeg er = I am
du er = you are
han/hun er = he/she is
de er = they are

Unlike English, Norwegian does not change the form of the verb depending on the person. It stays er.

What kind of word is viktig in this sentence?

Viktig is an adjective, meaning important.

In Pusteteknikken er viktig, it comes after er and describes the subject. So it is functioning as a predicate adjective or subject complement.

The structure is:

Pusteteknikken = subject
er = verb
viktig = adjective describing the subject

Why is the word order Pusteteknikken er viktig?

This is the normal word order for a simple statement in Norwegian:

subject + verb + complement

So:

Pusteteknikken = subject
er = verb
viktig = complement

This is very similar to English The breathing technique is important.

It also fits the Norwegian V2 rule: in a main clause, the finite verb is in the second position. Here the subject comes first, so the verb naturally comes second.

Could I also say Pusteteknikk er viktig without -en?

Yes, and the meaning becomes more general.

Pusteteknikken er viktig = the breathing technique is important
This sounds like a specific breathing technique, or one already known from context.
Pusteteknikk er viktig = breathing technique is important
This sounds more general, like a general statement about breathing technique as a topic.

So the version with -en is more specific.

How do you pronounce pusteteknikken?

A rough pronunciation guide is:

PU-ste-tek-NIK-ken

A few things to notice:

the u in pust is not like the English u in cut
the e sounds are usually short and clear
kk means the consonant is pronounced short and firm
the final -en is unstressed

In compounds, the first part often gets strong stress, but teknikk also keeps noticeable stress in its own part. So the word has a natural compound rhythm.

How would I turn this into a question or a negative sentence?

For a question, move the verb to the front:

Er pusteteknikken viktig? = Is the breathing technique important?

For a negative sentence, add ikke after the verb:

Pusteteknikken er ikke viktig. = The breathing technique is not important.

These are very common patterns in Norwegian, so this sentence is a good model to learn from.

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