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Questions & Answers about Det er egoistisk.
Why does the sentence start with det?
In Det er egoistisk, det is a dummy subject or formal subject. Norwegian often uses det in general statements like English uses it in sentences such as It is selfish or It is important.
Here, det does not refer to a specific thing. It simply fills the subject position.
Compare:
- Det er vanskelig. = It is difficult.
- Det er sant. = It is true.
If you want to say that a specific person is selfish, you would usually name them instead:
- Han er egoistisk. = He is selfish.
- Hun er egoistisk. = She is selfish.
What does er mean here?
Er is the present tense of å være, which means to be.
So:
- å være = to be
- er = am / is / are depending on context
Examples:
- Jeg er trøtt. = I am tired.
- Han er snill. = He is kind.
- Det er egoistisk. = It is selfish.
Norwegian does not change the verb the way English does. The same form er is used with all subjects in the present tense.
Why is it egoistisk and not egoistiskt?