Utvidelsen ligger ved grunnspillet.

In Norwegian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun.

• utvidelse = expansion

• utvidelsen = the expansion

• grunnspill = base game
• grunnspillet = the base game

So instead of saying something like the expansion with a separate word, Norwegian often marks definiteness with an ending:

• common gender nouns often take -en
• neuter nouns often take -et

That is why you see:

• utvidelsen → the expansion
• grunnspillet → the base game

Utvidelse is a common gender noun, so its definite singular form is utvidelsen.

Grunnspill is a neuter noun, so its definite singular form is grunnspillet.

A quick overview:

• en utvidelse → utvidelsen
• et grunnspill → grunnspillet

So the endings reflect both:

1. definiteness
2. the noun’s gender

Literally, ligger comes from å ligge, which often means to lie. But in many everyday sentences, it is used more naturally as is located, is situated, or is placed.

So in this sentence, ligger does not necessarily mean that something is physically lying flat. It often just describes location.

Examples:

• Boken ligger på bordet. = The book is on the table.
• Butikken ligger i sentrum. = The shop is in the city center.

Here, Utvidelsen ligger ved grunnspillet means the expansion is located/placed by the base game.

Ved often means by, next to, near, or beside, depending on context.

In this sentence, it suggests that the expansion is physically located close to the base game.

So:

• ved grunnspillet = by the base game / next to the base game

This is different from:

• i = in
• på = on
• under = under
• til = often to

So ved is specifically about being beside or near something.

Usually no. That is a common mistake for English speakers.

Ved normally means something like:

• by
• near
• next to
• beside

It usually does not mean with in the sense of accompanying something.

For with, Norwegian usually uses med:

• Jeg drikker kaffe med melk. = I drink coffee with milk.

So in your sentence:

• ved grunnspillet = by/next to the base game not
• with the base game

This is the normal word order for a simple Norwegian main clause:

Subject + verb + other elements

So:

• Utvidelsen = subject
• ligger = verb
• ved grunnspillet = prepositional phrase

This is very similar to standard English word order:

• The expansion is next to the base game.

Norwegian main clauses usually follow the V2 rule, meaning the finite verb comes in the second position. In this sentence, the subject comes first, so the verb follows it normally.

Yes, but ligger is often more natural when talking about where a physical object is placed.

Compare:

• Utvidelsen ligger ved grunnspillet. = The expansion is lying/is located next to the base game.
• Utvidelsen er ved grunnspillet. = The expansion is by the base game.

The version with er is grammatically possible, but ligger often sounds more specific and natural for objects in a location.

Most naturally, it sounds like physical location.

A Norwegian speaker would usually understand this as meaning that the expansion is placed next to the base game, for example on a shelf, table, or in a store display.

If you wanted to express a more abstract relationship, Norwegian might use a different structure depending on the meaning.

So for a learner, the safest interpretation is:

• this sentence describes where the expansion is physically located

Because utvidelsen already means the expansion.

In Norwegian, you usually do not add den before a noun unless there is an adjective or some special emphasis.

Compare:

• utvidelsen = the expansion
• den store utvidelsen = the big expansion

When there is an adjective, Norwegian often uses double definiteness:

• den nye utvidelsen = the new expansion
• det gamle grunnspillet = the old base game

But without an adjective, the ending alone is enough:

• utvidelsen
• grunnspillet

The indefinite singular forms are:

• en utvidelse = an expansion
• et grunnspill = a base game

So the full set here is:

• en utvidelse → utvidelsen
• et grunnspill → grunnspillet

This is useful because Norwegian learners often memorize nouns together with their article:

• en utvidelse
• et grunnspill

That helps you know how to form the definite version correctly.

You would change the nouns to plural forms.

For example:

• Utvidelsene ligger ved grunnspillene.
• The expansions are next to the base games.

Breakdown:

• utvidelse → utvidelser → utvidelsene
• grunnspill → grunnspill or grunnspillene depending on definite/indefinite plural context

A few notes:

• Many neuter nouns can have no ending in indefinite plural
• The definite plural usually ends in -ene

So:

• utvidelsene = the expansions
• grunnspillene = the base games

Grunnspill is a compound noun:

• grunn = base, foundation, basic
• spill = game

So grunnspill literally means something like base game.

This kind of compound noun is extremely common in Norwegian. English often writes such expressions as two words, but Norwegian frequently writes them as one word:

• grunnspill
• bordspill
• kortspill

So if you are used to English spacing, it is important to notice that Norwegian often combines these into a single noun.

A learner should especially notice the stress patterns:

• UT-videlsen
• LIG-ger
• VED
• GRUNN-spillet

In general:

• Norwegian usually stresses the first syllable of many native words and many common borrowed patterns
• the endings -en and -et are unstressed

So:

• utvidelsen has its main stress earlier in the word, not on -en
• grunnspillet has stress on grunn, not on -et

Even if your exact accent is not perfect, getting the main stress in roughly the right place will make you sound much more natural.