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Questions & Answers about Han følger kommandoen.
Why is kommandoen one word, and what does -en mean?
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.
What is the base form of følger?
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.
Why is it følger for han? Shouldn’t the verb change more?
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.