Gulvbeskytteren ligger ved dørkarmen.

Because -en at the end makes the noun definite singular in Norwegian.

• gulvbeskytter = a floor protector
• gulvbeskytteren = the floor protector

Norwegian often adds the definite article to the end of the noun instead of using a separate word like the in English.

So:

• Gulvbeskytteren ligger ved dørkarmen. = The floor protector is lying/is located by the door frame.

Yes. Norwegian very commonly forms compound nouns by writing them as one word.

Here:

• gulv = floor
• beskytter = protector

So gulvbeskytter literally means floor-protector.

This is very normal in Norwegian. English sometimes uses two words where Norwegian uses one.

For the same reason as gulvbeskytteren: -en makes it definite singular.

• dørkarm = a door frame
• dørkarmen = the door frame

So ved dørkarmen means by the door frame or next to the door frame.

Yes, ligger is the present tense of å ligge, which literally means to lie.

But in Norwegian, verbs like ligge, stå, and sitte are often used where English might simply say is or is located.

So Gulvbeskytteren ligger ved dørkarmen can mean:

• The floor protector is lying by the door frame
• The floor protector is by the door frame
• The floor protector is located by the door frame

Using ligger suggests the object is in a lying or resting position.

Good question. Norwegian often prefers a position verb instead of the general verb er.

• er = is
• ligger = is lying / is situated lying down

If you said Gulvbeskytteren er ved dørkarmen, it might sound less natural in many contexts. Ligger gives a clearer picture of how the object is positioned.

Norwegian often uses:

• ligge for things lying flat or resting
• stå for things standing upright
• sitte for things sitting/fixed in place

So ligger is probably chosen because the floor protector is thought of as resting on the floor.

Ved usually means by, near, or next to.

In this sentence:

• ved dørkarmen = by the door frame

It tells you the location of the object.

Be careful: ved can have a few related meanings depending on context, but here it is simply a location word.

This is the normal Norwegian word order for a simple statement:

subject + verb + adverbial/place

So:

• Gulvbeskytteren = subject
• ligger = verb
• ved dørkarmen = place/location phrase

That is very similar to English:

• The floor protector
  • is lying
    • by the door frame

A rough English-friendly guide would be something like:

GOOLV-beh-SHYT-teh-ren

A few notes:

• u in gulv is not exactly like English oo, but goo(l)v is a rough approximation.
• y in beskytter is a Norwegian vowel that does not exist in English. It is pronounced with rounded lips, somewhat like saying ee while shaping your lips as if for oo.
• The sk before y is pronounced like sh.

So beskytter sounds roughly like beh-SHYT-ter.

Yes.

It is made from:

• dør = door
• karm = frame/jamb

So:

• dørkarm = door frame
• dørkarmen = the door frame

Again, Norwegian usually writes this as one word.

Both gulvbeskytter and dørkarm are treated here as masculine nouns, which is why the definite singular form ends in -en:

• gulvbeskytteren
• dørkarmen

In Bokmål, many masculine nouns take:

• indefinite singular: no article attached to the noun itself, but usually en before it when needed
• definite singular: -en

For example:

• en gulvbeskytter = a floor protector

• gulvbeskytteren = the floor protector

• en dørkarm = a door frame
• dørkarmen = the door frame

Yes, but it changes the meaning.

• ved dørkarmen = by the door frame
• ved en dørkarm = by a door frame

The original sentence refers to a specific door frame, probably one already known from context.

Using en dørkarm would make it less specific.

It can definitely be used for objects too. In fact, it is very commonly used for objects.

Examples:

• Boken ligger på bordet. = The book is lying on the table.
• Nøklene ligger i veska. = The keys are in the bag.
• Gulvbeskytteren ligger ved dørkarmen. = The floor protector is by the door frame.

So Norwegian often uses ligger for inanimate things when they are resting somewhere.

Yes. That is one reason position verbs are so common in Norwegian.

Ligger can suggest:

1. the object is physically lying/resting
2. the object is simply located there

So in natural English, the best translation may depend on context:

• The floor protector is lying by the door frame.
• The floor protector is by the door frame.
• The floor protector is located by the door frame.

All of these can fit, depending on how literal you want to be.