Avstemningen begynner etter debatten.

Because both nouns are in the definite singular form.

In Norwegian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word like the in English.

• en avstemning = a vote

• avstemningen = the vote

• en debatt = a debate
• debatten = the debate

So the sentence uses the vote and the debate, not a vote and a debate.

The base form is avstemning.

Here is the pattern:

• avstemning = vote / voting
• en avstemning = a vote
• avstemningen = the vote

This is a very common pattern for masculine and feminine nouns in Bokmål:

• indefinite singular: en/ei + noun
• definite singular: noun + -en / -a

Not exactly.

Avstemning usually means vote, ballot, or voting in the sense of a decision being made by votes.

Depending on context, it can refer to:

• a parliamentary vote
• a vote in a meeting
• a referendum-type vote

It does not usually mean a full general election in the broad political sense. For that, Norwegian often uses valg.

So:

• avstemning = a vote / voting
• valg = an election

Begynner is the present tense of å begynne = to begin.

• å begynne = to begin
• begynner = begins / is beginning

Norwegian present tense is quite simple. The verb does not change depending on the subject:

• jeg begynner = I begin
• du begynner = you begin
• avstemningen begynner = the vote begins

A form like begynnes would be passive and is much less natural here. The sentence is simply saying that the vote starts at a certain time.

Yes, very often.

• Avstemningen begynner etter debatten.
• Avstemningen starter etter debatten.

Both can mean The vote starts after the debate.

There can be a slight nuance:

• begynner is a very general begins
• starter often feels like starts

In many everyday contexts, both are perfectly natural.

Etter means after here.

Norwegian does not have the same case system that English learners might know from languages like German. So you do not need to worry about different case endings after etter in normal Bokmål.

You simply use the noun normally:

• etter debatten = after the debate
• etter møtet = after the meeting
• etter pausen = after the break

Because the sentence refers to a specific debate: the debate.

• etter debatt would sound incomplete or unnatural in this context
• etter en debatt = after a debate
• etter debatten = after the debate

Since both speaker and listener know which debate is meant, Norwegian uses the definite form debatten.

No, this is the normal Norwegian main-clause word order:

Subject + verb + other elements

• Avstemningen = subject
• begynner = verb
• etter debatten = time phrase

So the structure is:

Avstemningen begynner etter debatten.
= The vote begins after the debate.

This is very straightforward and matches basic English word order quite closely.

Yes. Norwegian is a V2 language, which means the finite verb usually stays in the second position in a main clause.

So if you move the time phrase to the front, the verb must come right after it:

• Etter debatten begynner avstemningen.

Not:

• Etter debatten avstemningen begynner. ❌

That fronted version is also correct, but it gives a little more emphasis to after the debate.

In Bokmål, both are commonly treated as masculine nouns:

• en avstemning → avstemningen
• en debatt → debatten

Some nouns in Bokmål can be masculine or feminine depending on style, but these are very commonly seen with en and -en.

A rough guide for an English speaker is:

AHV-stem-ning-en

A few helpful points:

• av often sounds like ahv
• stem has a short e
• -ning sounds a bit like ning in English beginning
• the final -en is usually a light ending, not strongly stressed

The stress is mainly on the first syllable:

AVstemningen

Exact pronunciation varies a little by dialect, but that rough pattern will help.

Usually debatt means a more public, structured, or argumentative discussion: a debate.

For a more general discussion, Norwegian often uses diskusjon.

So:

• debatt = debate
• diskusjon = discussion

In this sentence, debatten strongly suggests a formal debate before the vote.

Not necessarily.

Etter debatten means after the debate, but it does not by itself say exactly how long after.

It could mean:

• immediately after
• later the same day
• at some scheduled point after the debate

If Norwegian wants to make immediately after extra clear, it could use wording like:

• rett etter debatten = right after the debate
• umiddelbart etter debatten = immediately after the debate