Medlemmet stiller spørsmål.

Breakdown of Medlemmet stiller spørsmål.

stille
to ask
spørsmålet
the question
medlemmet
the member

Questions & Answers about Medlemmet stiller spørsmål.

Why does medlemmet end in -et?

Because medlem is a neuter noun: et medlem = a member.

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

  • et medlem = a member
  • medlemmet = the member

Even though it refers to a person, the noun is still grammatically neuter.

What form is stiller?

Stiller is the present tense of stille.

So:

  • å stille = to ask / to pose / to put forward (depending on context)
  • stiller = asks / poses

In this sentence, stille spørsmål is a very common expression meaning to ask questions or to ask a question.

Why does Norwegian use stille spørsmål instead of just spør?

Both can be used, but they are not always identical in tone.

  • spør is the ordinary verb ask
  • stille spørsmål is a common expression meaning ask questions / pose questions

Stille spørsmål can sound a little more formal or deliberate, especially in written Norwegian.

For example:

  • Medlemmet spør. = The member asks.
  • Medlemmet stiller spørsmål. = The member asks questions / poses questions.

So this sentence uses a very natural Norwegian collocation.

Why is there no article before spørsmål?

Because Norwegian often uses a bare noun in set expressions like stille spørsmål.

Here, spørsmål appears without et, and that usually gives a more general meaning such as:

  • asks questions
  • raises questions
  • does some questioning

If you want to clearly mean one question, you would normally say:

  • Medlemmet stiller et spørsmål.

So the version without an article sounds more general or plural-like.

Is spørsmål singular or plural here?

This is a good question because spørsmål is one of those Norwegian nouns whose indefinite singular and indefinite plural look the same.

Forms of the noun:

  • et spørsmål = a question
  • spørsmålet = the question
  • spørsmål = questions
  • spørsmålene = the questions

In this sentence, since there is no et, learners will usually understand spørsmål as questions or questioning in general.

What is the word order in this sentence?

The sentence has the normal main-clause order:

  • Medlemmet = subject
  • stiller = verb
  • spørsmål = object

So it follows subject + verb + object.

This also fits the Norwegian V2 rule: in a main clause, the finite verb normally comes in the second position.

For example:

  • Medlemmet stiller spørsmål.
  • I møtet stiller medlemmet spørsmål.

In the second example, I møtet comes first, so the verb stiller still stays in second position.

Could I say Et medlem stiller spørsmål instead?

Yes. That would mean A member asks questions.

The difference is definiteness:

  • Medlemmet = the member (a specific member)
  • Et medlem = a member (not specifically identified)

So both are grammatical, but they mean different things.

Does medlem always take -et in the definite form?

Yes, in standard Bokmål the definite singular is medlemmet, because the noun is neuter.

Compare:

  • et medlem → medlemmet
  • et spørsmål → spørsmålet

If a noun were a common-gender noun, the definite ending would usually be -en instead.

Is this sentence natural Norwegian?

Yes, it is completely natural.

Medlemmet stiller spørsmål sounds like normal written or spoken Norwegian, especially in contexts such as:

  • a meeting
  • a class
  • a hearing
  • a discussion

It may sound slightly formal because of stiller spørsmål, but it is still very ordinary and idiomatic Norwegian.

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