Han følger kommandoen.

In Norwegian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun.

So:

• kommando = a command / command
• kommandoen = the command

The ending -en is the common singular definite ending for many masculine nouns.

This is different from English, where you use a separate word: the command.

The base form is å følge, which means to follow.

So:

• å følge = to follow
• følger = follows / is following

In this sentence, følger is the present tense form.

No. In Norwegian, verbs do not change depending on the subject the way they do in English.

Compare:

• I follow
• you follow
• he follows

In English, only he/she/it gets -s in the present.

In Norwegian, it stays the same:

• jeg følger
• du følger
• han følger
• vi følger

That makes Norwegian verb conjugation simpler than English in this way.

It can mean both, depending on context.

The Norwegian present tense often covers both:

• He follows the command
• He is following the command

If you need to make the ongoing sense extra clear, Norwegian can sometimes use other wording, but the simple present is very common.

Yes, depending on context, følge kommandoen can sound like follow the command in the sense of obey the command.

Literally, følge means follow, but with something like a command, English may naturally translate it as obey the command in some situations.

So the exact English wording depends on the context.

This is the normal basic word order for a simple statement in Norwegian:

• subject + verb + object

So:

• Han = subject
• følger = verb
• kommandoen = object

This is the same basic order as English in a simple sentence: He follows the command.

Kommando is usually treated as a masculine noun, which is why the definite singular form is kommandoen.

A useful pattern is:

• indefinite singular: en kommando
• definite singular: kommandoen

Yes, gender matters because it affects articles and endings.

Yes, but it means something different.

• Han følger kommandoen = He follows the command (a specific command)
• Han følger en kommando = He follows a command (one command, not specified)

So the difference is definite vs. indefinite, just like the vs. a/an in English.

It exists and is understood, but in many everyday contexts Norwegians may also use words like ordre depending on the situation.

Very roughly:

• kommando can feel like command
• ordre can feel like order / instruction

The best choice depends on context, such as military language, computing, or ordinary instructions.

A rough guide for English speakers is something like FURL-ger or FUHL-ger, but not exactly.

A few important points:

• ø is a vowel English does not really have
• g in følger is pronounced
• the word has two syllables: følg-er

The exact pronunciation depends somewhat on dialect, but the key challenge for learners is usually the ø sound.

Sometimes, yes, but Norwegian has strict word-order rules, especially the verb-second rule in main clauses.

For example, you can say:

• Han følger kommandoen. = He follows the command.
• Kommandoen følger han. = possible in special contexts, but marked and much less neutral

The normal, neutral sentence is Han følger kommandoen.

It is the direct object of the verb følger.

In other words, it is the thing being followed.

So:

• Han = the person doing the action
• følger = the action
• kommandoen = what he follows

That makes the structure very straightforward.