Varmebehovet er lavt.

The heating demand is low.

Breakdown of Varmebehovet er lavt.

• være: to be
• lav: low
• varmebehovet: the heating demand

Questions & Answers about Varmebehovet er lavt.

Why is varmebehovet one long word?

Because Norwegian very often makes compound nouns where English would use two or more words.

• varme = heat / heating
• behov = need / requirement
• varmebehov = heat need / heating requirement
• varmebehovet = the heating requirement / the heat demand

This is completely normal in Norwegian. English often writes these as separate words, but Norwegian prefers to join them into one noun.

What does the ending -et in varmebehovet mean?

The ending -et is the definite article attached to the noun. In Norwegian, the usually goes at the end of the noun instead of being a separate word.

So:

• et varmebehov = a heating requirement
• varmebehovet = the heating requirement

This is a very important pattern in Norwegian.

Why is it et varmebehov and not en varmebehov?

Because behov is a neuter noun in Norwegian, and neuter nouns take et in the indefinite singular.

• et behov = a need
• therefore et varmebehov = a heating requirement

Since the head noun in the compound is behov, the whole compound is also neuter.

Why is it lavt and not lav?