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Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Teknologien endrer samfunnet. - The technology changes society.

Hardcore Norwegian
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/Teknologien endrer samfunnet.

Teknologien endrer samfunnet.

Teknologien endrer samfunnet.

The technology changes society.

Breakdown of Teknologien endrer samfunnet.

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Questions & Answers about Teknologien endrer samfunnet.

Why do teknologien and samfunnet have endings attached to them?

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

teknologi = technology / a technology
teknologien = the technology
samfunn = society / a society
samfunnet = the society

So in this sentence, both nouns are in the definite form.

The endings are different because the nouns have different grammatical genders:

en teknologi → teknologien
et samfunn → samfunnet

Why isn’t there a separate word for the in this sentence?

In Norwegian, the is often built into the noun itself.

English:

the technology
the society

Norwegian:

teknologien
samfunnet

This is one of the biggest differences from English. A native English speaker often expects a separate article, but Norwegian usually uses a suffix article instead.

There are cases where Norwegian uses both a demonstrative/other determiner and the definite ending, but in a simple sentence like this, the ending alone is enough.

What form is endrer?

Endrer is the present tense of the verb å endre, which means to change.

So:

å endre = to change
endrer = change / changes / is changing, depending on context

In this sentence, endrer means changes.

A very important point for English speakers: Norwegian verbs do not change form depending on the subject the way English verbs do.

English:

I change
you change
he/she changes

Norwegian:

jeg endrer
du endrer
han/hun endrer

It stays endrer for all persons.

Why is it endrer and not something like endre?

Because endre is the infinitive form: to change.

When you make a normal present-tense sentence, you use the present form:

å endre = to change
endrer = changes / change

So:

Teknologien endrer samfunnet. = correct
Teknologien endre samfunnet. = incorrect in a normal main clause

A rough pattern for many Norwegian verbs is:

infinitive: -e
present tense: -er

Example:

å snakke → snakker
å lære → lærer
å endre → endrer

Does this sentence mean The technology changes the society or Technology changes society?

In natural English, the best translation is usually Technology changes society.

Even though the Norwegian nouns are definite in form, Norwegian often uses the definite singular to talk about something in a general sense.

So teknologien here does not necessarily mean one specific piece of technology. It can mean technology as a whole.

Likewise, samfunnet can mean society in general.

This is very common in Norwegian and can feel a little strange to English speakers at first. A more literal translation might look like The technology changes the society, but that often sounds less natural in English unless you mean something very specific.

What is the basic word order in this sentence?

The word order is the standard Subject – Verb – Object pattern:

Teknologien = subject
endrer = verb
samfunnet = object

So:

Teknologien | endrer | samfunnet
subject | verb | object

This is the same basic order as in English:

Technology | changes | society

So the sentence structure itself is quite straightforward.

What are the dictionary forms of the words in this sentence?

The dictionary forms are:

teknologi = technology
å endre = to change
samfunn = society

The sentence uses inflected forms of two of them:

teknologi → teknologien
å endre → endrer
samfunn → samfunnet

This is useful because dictionaries usually list nouns in the indefinite singular and verbs in the infinitive.

Why is teknologi one gender and samfunn another?

Norwegian nouns have grammatical gender. In Bokmål, the main genders are:

common gender (often called masculine/common in learner materials)
neuter

Here:

teknologi is a common-gender noun: en teknologi
samfunn is a neuter noun: et samfunn

That affects the definite ending:

en teknologi → teknologien
et samfunn → samfunnet

Unfortunately, gender is something you usually have to learn together with the noun. That’s why it is a good habit to memorize nouns with their article:

en teknologi
et samfunn

Could I also say Teknologi endrer samfunn?

Not if you want the same natural meaning as the original sentence.

Teknologien endrer samfunnet is a natural way to express a general truth: Technology changes society.

If you say Teknologi endrer samfunn, it sounds more unusual and less idiomatic in this context. Norwegian often prefers the definite form in general statements like this.

So for a learner, the safest choice is:

Teknologien endrer samfunnet.

That said, whether definite or indefinite sounds best can depend on the noun and the kind of general statement being made. This is something you gradually get used to through exposure.

How is this sentence pronounced?

A rough learner-friendly pronunciation might be:

teknologien endrer samfunnet
tek-no-lo-GEE-en EN-drer SAM-fun-net

A few notes:

g in teknologi is pronounced like the English g in give
endrer has a rolled or tapped r in many accents, though pronunciation varies by dialect
samfunn has a short a, somewhat like the a in father for many speakers, though exact vowel quality varies
the final -et / -en endings are usually clearly pronounced

If you are learning Bokmål, remember that spelling is standardized, but pronunciation can vary quite a bit across Norway.

Is this sentence in the present tense only, or can it express a general truth?

It can absolutely express a general truth.

In Norwegian, the present tense is often used for:

things happening now
habitual actions
general facts
timeless statements

So Teknologien endrer samfunnet is not just Technology is changing society right now. It can also mean Technology changes society in a broad, general sense.

That is probably the most natural interpretation here.

If I move another element to the front, does the verb stay in the same place?

No. Norwegian is a V2 language, which means the finite verb usually stays in the second position in main clauses.

Original:

Teknologien endrer samfunnet.

If you move a time word to the front:

I dag endrer teknologien samfunnet. = Today, technology changes/is changing society.

Notice what happens:

I dag comes first
endrer still stays in second position
teknologien moves after the verb

This is very important in Norwegian word order and is something English speakers often need practice with.

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