Vi kjører gjennom tunnelen.

Kjører is the present tense of the verb å kjøre (to drive / to ride / to go by vehicle).

So:

• å kjøre = to drive
• kjører = drive / drives / am driving / are driving / is driving

In Norwegian, after the subject vi (we), you normally use the finite verb:

• Vi kjører = We drive / We are driving

Unlike English, Norwegian does not need a separate form like are driving here. The simple present often covers both we drive and we are driving, depending on context.

It can mean both, depending on context.

In Norwegian, the present tense is often used where English would choose either:

• We drive
• We are driving

So Vi kjører gjennom tunnelen can mean:

• We drive through the tunnel
  or
• We are driving through the tunnel

If you want to make the ongoing action extra clear, Norwegian can sometimes use expressions like holder på å, but in everyday speech the plain present tense is very common.

Here, kjøre means something like to drive or to go by vehicle.

It is often used when traveling in:

• a car
• a bus
• a truck
• sometimes other vehicles

So Vi kjører suggests that we are traveling by vehicle, not walking.

A useful comparison:

• Vi går gjennom tunnelen = We walk through the tunnel
• Vi kjører gjennom tunnelen = We drive through the tunnel

Gjennom means through.

It is a preposition, and it is used much like English through:

• gjennom tunnelen = through the tunnel
• gjennom byen = through the city
• gjennom døra = through the door

So the structure is:

• verb + gjennom + noun phrase

In this sentence:

• Vi = we
• kjører = drive / are driving
• gjennom tunnelen = through the tunnel

Tunnelen is the definite form of tunnel, meaning the tunnel.

In Norwegian, definiteness is usually shown by adding an ending to the noun:

• en tunnel = a tunnel
• tunnelen = the tunnel

This is different from English, where the is a separate word.

So:

• gjennom en tunnel = through a tunnel
• gjennom tunnelen = through the tunnel

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

For many masculine nouns:

• en
  • noun = indefinite singular
• noun + -en = definite singular

With tunnel:

• en tunnel = a tunnel
• tunnelen = the tunnel

So the ending -en already includes the meaning of the.

Yes, tunnel is normally treated as a masculine noun in Bokmål.

That is why you get:

• en tunnel = a tunnel
• tunnelen = the tunnel

In Norwegian, many nouns are masculine, feminine, or neuter. For this word, the standard form is masculine.

The word order is the basic Norwegian main-clause pattern:

• Subject + verb + other elements

So:

• Vi = subject
• kjører = verb
• gjennom tunnelen = prepositional phrase

Full structure:

• Vi kjører gjennom tunnelen.

This is very natural and straightforward Norwegian word order.

For many English speakers, kjører is tricky because of the Norwegian vowel ø.

A rough guide:

• kj at the beginning is a soft sound, somewhat like hy in some dialects, though not exactly
• ø is a rounded vowel that English does not really have
• -rer is pronounced lightly

A very rough approximation might be something like:

• HYUR-er
  or
• SHUR-er in some learners’ ears

But neither is exact.

The most important thing to notice is the ø sound. To make ø, try saying e while rounding your lips.

Gjennom can also be difficult for English speakers.

A rough pronunciation guide:

• the beginning gj is softened
• e is short
• nn is a clear double consonant
• the final om is unstressed

A very rough approximation could be:

• YEN-nom or
• JEN-nom

depending on how you hear it, but again that is only approximate.

The spelling may look intimidating, but this is a very common word, so it is worth learning early.

Yes, but it means something slightly different.

• Vi kjører gjennom tunnelen = We drive through the tunnel
• Vi kjører i tunnelen = We are driving in the tunnel

Gjennom focuses on movement from one side to the other, or passing through it.

I tunnelen only tells you the location: you are inside the tunnel.

So if the idea is specifically through, then gjennom is the best choice.