Barnet ble smittet.

Because barnet is the definite singular form of barn.

• barn = child / a child
• barnet = the child

In Norwegian, the definite article is usually added to the end of the noun as a suffix.

Since barn is a neuter noun, the definite ending is -et:

• et barn = a child
• barnet = the child

Ble is the past tense of bli, which often means become.

So literally, Barnet ble smittet is something like:

• The child became infected

In natural English, it can also be translated as:

• The child was infected

In this sentence, ble helps form a passive construction.

Yes. This is a very common Norwegian passive pattern:

• bli + past participle

Here:

• ble = past tense of bli
• smittet = past participle of smitte

So ble smittet means got infected / was infected.

This structure often focuses on what happened to someone or something, rather than on who did it.

Smittet is the past participle of the verb smitte, which means to infect or to transmit infection to.

So:

• smitte = infinitive
• smittet = past participle

In ble smittet, the participle works with ble to form the passive:

• ble smittet = was/got infected

No, they only look similar.

• In barnet, -et is the definite ending on the noun.
• In smittet, -et is part of the past participle of the verb smitte.

So:

• barn + -et → barnet = the child
• smitte → smittet = infected

Same letters, different grammar.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Very often, ble + past participle is close to got + past participle in English:

• Barnet ble smittet = The child got infected

But in many contexts, English may naturally translate it as:

• The child was infected

A useful way to think about it is that ble often emphasizes the change of state: the child went from not infected to infected.

This is an important difference:

• Barnet ble smittet = the child became/got infected
• Barnet var smittet = the child was infected / was in an infected state

So:

• ble focuses more on the event or transition
• var focuses more on the state or condition

Example:

• Barnet ble smittet i barnehagen. = The child got infected at daycare.
• Barnet var smittet i flere dager. = The child was infected for several days.

In this sentence, the agent is simply not mentioned.

Barnet ble smittet does not say who or what caused the infection. It just says what happened to the child.

If you want to add the agent, Norwegian often uses av:

• Barnet ble smittet av søsteren sin. = The child was infected by his/her sister.

But very often, Norwegian leaves the agent out if it is unknown or unimportant.

Not especially. This is normal Norwegian main-clause word order:

• Barnet = subject
• ble = finite verb
• smittet = participle

So the structure is:

• Subject + finite verb + participle

That is completely standard.

If another element came first, the verb would still stay in second position, because Norwegian is a V2 language:

• I går ble barnet smittet. = Yesterday, the child got infected.

In some cases, Norwegian can use an -s passive, but with this sentence, ble smittet is the more natural choice.

The -s passive is common in some formal, general, or impersonal contexts, for example:

• Døren åpnes klokken åtte. = The door is opened at eight.

With something like infection happening to a specific child, Barnet ble smittet sounds natural and idiomatic.

Yes. Barn is a neuter noun.

So the forms are:

• et barn = a child
• barnet = the child
• barn = children
• barna or barnene = the children

For everyday Norwegian, barna is very common.

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

• Barnet ble smittet
• BAR-neht bleh SMIT-teht

A few notes:

• barnet has two syllables: bar-net
• ble is a short one-syllable word
• smittet has two syllables: smit-tet

The r in barnet may sound different depending on dialect, and the exact vowels vary by region, but the stress is usually on:

• BAR-net
• SMIT-tet

Yes. Smittet can function like an adjective in some contexts.

For example:

• et smittet barn = an infected child
• Barnet er smittet. = The child is infected

So in Norwegian, past participles often overlap with adjective use.

That means smittet can appear:

• after ble in a passive construction
• after er/var to describe a state
• before a noun like an adjective

An active version would need someone or something doing the infecting, for example:

• Viruset smittet barnet. = The virus infected the child.

Compare:

• Viruset smittet barnet. = active
• Barnet ble smittet. = passive

In the passive version, the focus moves from the thing causing the infection to the child experiencing it.