Legen undersøker øret.

Because legen is the definite singular form of lege.

• lege = doctor / a doctor
• legen = the doctor

In Norwegian, the definite article is often added to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word in front.

So:

• en lege = a doctor
• legen = the doctor

Lege is a common-gender noun, so its definite singular ending is -en.

For the same reason: øret is the definite singular form.

• øre = ear / an ear
• øret = the ear

This noun is neuter, so the definite singular ending is -et.

So:

• et øre = an ear
• øret = the ear

A very important pattern in Norwegian is:

• common gender: -en
• neuter: -et

The base form is å undersøke, which means to examine or to inspect.

Undersøker is the present tense form:

• å undersøke = to examine
• undersøker = examines / is examining

In Norwegian, the present tense is often made by adding -r to the infinitive:

• å snakke → snakker
• å komme → kommer
• å undersøke → undersøker

No. In modern Norwegian, verbs usually do not change for person or number.

So you get:

• jeg undersøker = I examine
• du undersøker = you examine
• han undersøker = he examines
• vi undersøker = we examine

This is much simpler than English, where you have I examine but he examines. In Norwegian, the verb form stays the same.

You know from word order.

In Legen undersøker øret:

• Legen = the subject = the doctor
• undersøker = the verb = examines
• øret = the object = the ear

So the sentence follows the very common pattern:

subject + verb + object

That tells you the doctor is doing the examining, and the ear is what is being examined.

Because Norwegian often puts the definite article onto the end of the noun.

English:

• the doctor
• the ear

Norwegian:

• legen
• øret

This is one of the biggest differences from English. Instead of a separate word like the, Norwegian usually uses a suffix:

• -en
• -a
• -et

You can also see separate definite words like den, det, and de, but those are used in specific situations, especially with adjectives:

• den flinke legen = the skilled doctor
• det store øret = the big ear

But in a simple noun by itself, Norwegian usually just adds the ending:

• legen
• øret

It would be:

En lege undersøker et øre.

That means A doctor examines an ear.

Compare:

• Legen undersøker øret. = The doctor examines the ear.
• En lege undersøker et øre. = A doctor examines an ear.

So the indefinite articles are:

• en for many common-gender nouns
• et for neuter nouns

Here:

• en lege
• et øre

The letter ø is a separate vowel in Norwegian.

For an English speaker, it can be tricky because English does not have an exact match. A rough guide:

• it is somewhat similar to the vowel in French peu
• or German ö
• but not exactly like English o or u

In this sentence:

• øret is roughly two syllables: Ø-re(t)
• undersøker contains the same vowel sound in the stressed part sø

Try to keep the lips rounded while making a vowel that is more forward in the mouth than English o.

Yes. Undersøker is present tense, and in many contexts it can mean either:

• examines
• is examining

Norwegian often uses the simple present where English might use either the simple present or the present progressive.

So:

• Legen undersøker øret.

can mean:

• The doctor examines the ear
• The doctor is examining the ear

The exact meaning depends on context.

In a basic statement like this, yes: subject + verb + object is very common.

But Norwegian also has an important rule called V2 word order in main clauses: the verb usually comes second.

So if you start with another element, the verb still stays in second position:

• I dag undersøker legen øret. = Today, the doctor examines the ear.

Notice that undersøker still comes second.

So the normal sentence:

• Legen undersøker øret.

can change when another element comes first, but the verb still stays in position two.

Yes. In dictionaries, Norwegian nouns are usually listed in their indefinite singular form.

So you would normally look up:

• lege
• øre

not:

• legen
• øret

Likewise, verbs are usually listed in the infinitive form with å:

• å undersøke

not:

• undersøker