Questions & Answers about Vi ser en slange i skogen.
Why is it Vi ser and not something like Vi se?
Because ser is the present tense form of the verb å se (to see).
A quick mini-paradigm:
- å se = to see
- ser = see / sees / am seeing / are seeing
- så = saw
- har sett = have seen
So Vi ser is simply we see or we are seeing.
Does ser mean both see and are seeing?
Yes. In Norwegian, the present tense often covers both the simple present and the present progressive that English separates.
So Vi ser en slange can mean:
- We see a snake
- We are seeing a snake
Usually the context tells you which sounds more natural in English.
Why is it en slange?
Because slange is a noun that takes the indefinite article en in Bokmål.
In singular indefinite form, Norwegian uses:
- en for many common-gender nouns
- et for neuter nouns
So:
- en slange = a snake
This is something you usually have to learn together with the noun: en slange.
Why is it skogen instead of a separate word for ?