Stroppen holder møbelteppet på plass.

Those endings mark the definite form in Norwegian.

• stropp = a strap
• stroppen = the strap
• møbelteppe = a furniture blanket / furniture cover / moving blanket
• møbelteppet = the furniture blanket

Norwegian often puts definiteness at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word like the.

It depends on the noun’s grammatical gender.

• stropp is usually a masculine noun, so:
  • indefinite: en stropp
  • definite: stroppen
• møbelteppe is a neuter noun, so:
  • indefinite: et møbelteppe
  • definite: møbelteppet

This is something learners often have to memorize along with the noun.

Holder is the present tense of å holde, which often means to hold, to keep, or to keep in place.

Here it means something like keeps or holds. Norwegian present tense is simple:

• å holde = to hold
• holder = holds / is holding / keeps

Unlike English, Norwegian does not add a special -s just for he/she/it. The same present-tense form is used for all persons:

• jeg holder
• du holder
• han holder
• vi holder

På plass is a very common expression meaning in place.

So holder møbelteppet på plass means keeps the furniture blanket in place.

Even though plass by itself means place or space, the whole phrase på plass is best learned as a set expression.

This is the normal Norwegian word order for a main clause:

Subject + verb + object + adverbial/complement

So here you get:

• Stroppen = subject
• holder = verb
• møbelteppet = object
• på plass = phrase describing the result/location

That makes the sentence very straightforward and typical for Norwegian.

That sounds unnatural in ordinary Norwegian. The most natural order is:

Stroppen holder møbelteppet på plass.

The phrase holde noe på plass works like keep something in place, where noe goes between holde and på plass.

Literally, it is a compound noun:

• møbel = furniture
• teppe = blanket / rug / cover, depending on context

In this kind of sentence, møbelteppe usually refers to a protective blanket used for furniture, especially when moving or covering it. In English, moving blanket is often the most natural translation.

This is also a good example of how Norwegian frequently builds new nouns by combining smaller words.

Usually stropp is best translated as strap.

It can refer to a fastening strap, securing strap, or something similar. It is not usually the everyday word for the belt you wear with trousers; that is more often belte.

So in this sentence, stroppen is probably a strap used to secure the blanket.

Because Norwegian normally marks definiteness by adding it to the noun itself:

• en stropp = a strap

• stroppen = the strap

• et møbelteppe = a furniture blanket
• møbelteppet = the furniture blanket

A separate determiner can still appear in some cases, especially with adjectives:

• det store møbelteppet = the big furniture blanket

But when there is no adjective, the ending alone is enough.

The letter ø does not exist in English, so it can be tricky.

A rough guide:

• it is a front, rounded vowel
• it is somewhat similar to the vowel in French deux or German schön

In møbelteppet, the first syllable mø- uses that sound. Try not to replace it with plain English o or u.

Also notice:

• tt in teppet makes the consonant sound short and crisp
• the final -et in teppet is usually clearly pronounced

It could be either, depending on context. Norwegian present tense often covers both meanings:

• The strap keeps the blanket in place
• The strap is keeping the blanket in place

So holder can describe:

• a general function
• a current action
• a practical explanation of what something does

Context tells you which one is meant.

Yes, but the nuance may change a little.

Possible alternatives include:

• fester møbelteppet = fastens the furniture blanket
• sikrer møbelteppet = secures the furniture blanket
• holder møbelteppet fast = holds the furniture blanket firmly

Still, holder møbelteppet på plass is very natural if the idea is simply that the strap stops it from moving around.