Formen og hanken er enkle.

Because Norwegian usually shows the by adding it to the end of the noun.

• en form → formen = the shape / the form
• en hank → hanken = the handle

So instead of a separate word like English the, Norwegian often uses a suffix.

Hank usually means a handle, loop, or strap-like part that you hold or carry something by. In this sentence, hanken most naturally means the handle.

The exact English word can depend on the object:

• a cup or bucket: handle
• a bag: sometimes handle or strap
• a looped piece: sometimes loop

Because the subject is plural in meaning.

Even though formen and hanken are each singular, they are joined by og (and), so together they count as more than one thing. That makes the adjective plural:

• Formen er enkel. = The shape is simple.
• Hanken er enkel. = The handle is simple.
• Formen og hanken er enkle. = The shape and the handle are simple.

So enkle is the correct plural form here.

Normally, no. That would sound ungrammatical to most speakers, because enkel is singular, while formen og hanken is a combined subject and therefore plural.

With two things joined by og, use the plural adjective:

• ... er enkle

Because Norwegian uses er for the present tense of å være in both singular and plural.

English has:

• is
• are

Norwegian just has:

• er

So both of these are correct:

• Formen er enkel.
• Formen og hanken er enkle.

The verb stays er in both sentences.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Common possibilities include:

• shape
• form
• sometimes design or outline, depending on what is being described

In a sentence like this, shape is often the most natural everyday translation, but form is also possible.

Because Norwegian often builds definiteness into the noun itself.

So:

• formen already means the shape / the form
• hanken already means the handle

A separate word like the is usually not needed when the noun stands alone.

However, if you add an adjective before a definite noun, Norwegian often uses an extra definite word too:

• den enkle formen = the simple shape

That is a common pattern in Norwegian.

Yes, that is possible grammatically, but it changes the meaning.

• Formen og hanken refers to specific things: the shape and the handle
• Form og hank sounds more general or less specific: shape and handle

So the original sentence is talking about particular, known items, not just the ideas of shape and handle in general.

It follows normal Norwegian statement word order:

• Formen og hanken = subject
• er = verb
• enkle = predicate adjective

So the structure is:

subject + verb + adjective

That is very similar to English:

• The shape and the handle are simple.