Alten synger lavt.

to sing

Breakdown of Alten synger lavt.

• lav: low
• alten: the alto

Questions & Answers about Alten synger lavt.

Why does alten end in -en?

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

So:

• en alt = an alto
• alten = the alto

Unlike English, Norwegian often puts the at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word.

What exactly does alten mean here?

Alten means the alto. Depending on context, that can refer to:

• the person singing the alto part
• the alto voice
• the alto section in a choir

So it is not necessarily just a grammatical subject; it may refer to a singer or a vocal part.

Why is there no separate word for the?

In Norwegian, definiteness is usually built into the noun itself with an ending.

So instead of saying a separate word like English the alto, Norwegian often says:

• alten

That final -en already contains the idea of the.

Why is the verb synger the same no matter who is singing?