Opptjeningsperioden for foreldrepenger begynner tidligere.

Because Norwegian makes very frequent use of compound nouns. What English often writes as several words, Norwegian often joins into one:

• opptjening = earning / accrual / qualifying
• periode = period

So opptjeningsperiode is one compound noun, and then -n / -en is added for the definite form.

This is very normal in Norwegian. Writing it as separate words would usually look wrong.

The -s- is a linking element used inside compounds. It does not mean possession here.

So the structure is:

• opptjening
• s = linking sound/letter
• periode
• -n / -en = definite ending

This kind of linking -s- is common in Norwegian compounds, although it is not always predictable from English. You just learn the standard compound form.

The ending -en marks the noun as definite singular: the qualifying period / the accrual period.

Compare:

• en opptjeningsperiode = a qualifying period
• opptjeningsperioden = the qualifying period

In Norwegian, definiteness is usually shown by an ending on the noun rather than by a separate word like the.

Here for means something like for or relating to.

So:

• opptjeningsperioden for foreldrepenger
  = the qualifying period for parental benefit

The phrase for foreldrepenger tells you what kind of qualifying period it is. It is the period connected with eligibility for foreldrepenger.

Foreldrepenger is also a compound noun:

• foreldre = parents
• penger = money / benefits

Together, foreldrepenger is the established Norwegian term for parental benefit / parental pay.

It is written as one word because Norwegian normally joins nouns together in compounds.

Because penger is grammatically plural-looking, and many Norwegian benefit terms are built that way:

• sykepenger
• dagpenger
• foreldrepenger

Even though English might translate this with a singular expression like parental benefit, Norwegian uses this fixed plural-form noun. So yes, it looks plural because that is the standard official term.

Because foreldrepenger is being used in a general, category-like way, not as a specific previously mentioned thing.

So:

• for foreldrepenger = for parental benefit, in general
• for foreldrepengene would sound like for the parental benefits, meaning some specific ones already known in the context

In official language, benefit names are often used without an article in this kind of phrase.

Begynner is the present tense of begynne.

Norwegian often uses the present tense for:

• general facts
• official rules
• announced changes
• scheduled future events

So begynner tidligere can describe a rule change that now applies, or a change being formally announced. This is very natural in Norwegian administrative language.

Because tidligere is the comparative form of tidlig:

• tidlig = early
• tidligere = earlier
• tidligst = earliest

Here it functions adverbially with the verb begynner:

• begynner tidlig = begins early
• begynner tidligere = begins earlier

So the sentence is comparing the start time with an earlier rule or expectation.

The sentence follows standard Norwegian main-clause order:

• Opptjeningsperioden for foreldrepenger = subject
• begynner = verb
• tidligere = adverb/complement

So the pattern is basically:

Subject + Verb + Adverb

That is the normal word order in a simple Norwegian statement.

It is quite formal/administrative.

Words like:

• opptjeningsperioden
• foreldrepenger

sound like the kind of language used in government information, legal texts, or official websites.

In more everyday speech, people might use a less technical wording, but this sentence is perfectly natural in an official context.