Jeg forstår uttrykket.

I

Breakdown of Jeg forstår uttrykket.

• forstå: to understand
• uttrykket: the expression

Questions & Answers about Jeg forstår uttrykket.

Why does uttrykket end in -et?

Because Norwegian usually marks the definite form by adding an ending to the noun.

• et uttrykk = an expression
• uttrykket = the expression

Here, uttrykk is a neuter noun, so the definite singular ending is -et.

Compare:

• et ord → ordet
• et uttrykk → uttrykket

So uttrykket already means the expression all by itself.

Where is the word for the in this sentence?

It is built into uttrykket.

In English, you usually use a separate word:

• the expression

In Norwegian, you often attach the definite ending directly to the noun:

• uttrykket

So Jeg forstår uttrykket literally looks something like:

• I understand expression-the

That is completely normal in Norwegian.

Why is it et uttrykk and not en uttrykk?