Questions & Answers about Keiseren snakker til folket.
Why does keiser become keiseren here?
Because Norwegian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun.
- keiser = emperor
- keiseren = the emperor
This is very common in Norwegian:
- bok = book → boka / boken = the book
- bil = car → bilen = the car
So Keiseren means the emperor.
Why is there no separate word for the before keiseren?
In Norwegian, the definite meaning is often built into the noun itself instead of using a separate word like English the.
So:
- English: the emperor
- Norwegian: keiseren
You do not say den keiseren here in a normal basic sentence. That would usually add extra emphasis, something more like that emperor or that particular emperor, depending on context.
What form is snakker?
Snakker is the present tense of å snakke (to speak / to talk).
Examples:
- jeg snakker = I speak / I am speaking
- du snakker = you speak / you are speaking
- keiseren snakker = the emperor speaks / is speaking
A useful thing for learners: Norwegian verbs do not change by person the way they do in many other languages. The same present-tense form is used with all subjects.