Overraskelsesmomentet er viktig.

The element of surprise is important.

Breakdown of Overraskelsesmomentet er viktig.

• være: to be
• viktig: important
• overraskelsesmomentet: the element of surprise

Questions & Answers about Overraskelsesmomentet er viktig.

What does overraskelsesmomentet consist of?

It is a compound noun:

• overraskelse = surprise
• moment = element, factor, or aspect
• -et = the definite ending for a neuter noun, meaning the

So overraskelsesmomentet literally means the surprise element or the element of surprise.

Notice that when Norwegian makes compound nouns, the words are usually written as one single word.

Why is there an -s- in overraskelsesmomentet?

That -s- is a linking sound often used in Norwegian compounds. It does not usually have a separate meaning by itself.

So:

• overraskelse
  • moment → overraskelsesmoment

This is very common in Norwegian compound words. English learners often expect the words to stay separate, but Norwegian strongly prefers compounds as one word.

Why is the whole thing written as one word instead of overraskelse momentet?

In Norwegian, compound nouns are normally written as one word, much more consistently than in English.

So Norwegian writes:

• overraskelsesmomentet

where English might say:

• the surprise element
• the element of surprise

Writing it as separate words would usually be incorrect in Norwegian.