Stedet er hellig.

Because stedet is the definite form of sted.

• et sted = a place
• stedet = the place

In this sentence, Norwegian is talking about the place, not just any place, so stedet is required.

The ending -et is the usual definite singular ending for many neuter nouns in Norwegian.

Since sted is a neuter noun:

• et sted = a place
• stedet = the place

This is similar to how English uses the, but in Norwegian the definiteness is often added to the end of the noun.

You learn it from its indefinite article:

• et sted = a place

In Norwegian, noun gender is shown by the article:

• en = masculine
• ei = feminine
• et = neuter

Because it is et sted, sted is neuter.

Norwegian main clauses normally follow subject + verb + other information, just like English.

So:

• Stedet = subject
• er = verb
• hellig = adjective/complement

That gives:

• Stedet er hellig. = The place is holy.

Stedet hellig er would sound wrong in ordinary Norwegian.

Er is the present tense of å være (to be).

So:

• å være = to be
• er = is / am / are

In this sentence, er links the subject stedet with the description hellig:

• Stedet er hellig. = The place is holy.

In Norwegian, adjectives after to be often stay in their basic form unless grammar requires agreement marking.

Here, hellig is a predicate adjective: it comes after er and describes the subject.

So:

• Stedet er hellig. = The place is holy.

Compare this with adjectives placed directly before a noun, where agreement is more visible:

• et hellig sted = a holy place

In that phrase, the adjective also happens to be hellig, so you do not see much change, but in many other adjectives you would.

Yes, but it means something slightly different.

• Et hellig sted = a holy place
• Stedet er hellig = The place is holy

So:

• et hellig sted is a noun phrase
• stedet er hellig is a full sentence

One names something; the other makes a statement about it.

Yes, hellig is a normal Norwegian word meaning holy or sacred.

It is often used in:

• religious contexts
• spiritual contexts
• sometimes more poetic or serious language

Examples:

• en hellig bok = a holy book
• hellig jord = holy ground

So Stedet er hellig has a fairly serious or solemn tone.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation guide is:

• stedet ≈ STEH-det

A few useful notes:

• The st at the beginning is usually pronounced like English st.
• The first syllable is stressed: STE-
• The final -et is often pronounced lightly.

Depending on dialect and speaking style, the exact sound may vary a bit.

A simple approximation is:

• hellig ≈ HEL-lig

Notes:

• Stress is on the first syllable.
• The h is pronounced.
• The g at the end may sound softer than an English learner expects, depending on accent.

As always in Norwegian, pronunciation can vary somewhat by dialect.

Yes, very easily:

• Stedet = the place
• er = is
• hellig = holy

So the sentence maps neatly to:

• The place is holy.

This is one of those nice cases where Norwegian and English have very similar sentence structure.

Sometimes, but the meaning is not always exactly the same.

• sted = place in a broad or general sense
• plass = place/spot/space/seat, often more physical or specific

So:

• Stedet er hellig = The place is holy
• Plassen er hellig could also be possible, but it may suggest more of a spot or location

In many contexts, stedet is the more natural choice for a sacred place in a general sense.

This sentence is standard Bokmål.

In Nynorsk, you would typically say:

• Staden er heilag.

So if you are learning Bokmål, Stedet er hellig is exactly the form you want.