Vi hører latteren.

We hear the laughter.

Breakdown of Vi hører latteren.

• vi: we
• høre: to hear
• latteren: the laughter

Questions & Answers about Vi hører latteren.

What form of the verb is hører?

Hører is the present tense of å høre = to hear.

A useful pattern:

• å høre = infinitive
• hører = present tense

Norwegian does not change the present-tense verb for different persons, so you get:

• jeg hører = I hear
• du hører = you hear
• vi hører = we hear

So hører works with vi just as it does with other subjects.

Can hører mean both hear and are hearing?

Yes. Norwegian present tense often covers both the English simple present and present progressive.

So Vi hører latteren can mean:

• We hear the laughter
• We are hearing the laughter

Usually, context tells you which sounds most natural in English.

Why is there no separate word for the?

Because Norwegian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word before it.

So:

• latter = laughter
• latteren = the laughter

That -en ending is doing the job that the does in English.

Why use latteren instead of just latter?