Overvanning er dårlig for røttene.

Overvanning is a noun here, not a verb. It means overwatering as a general process or condition.

It is built from:

• over- = over-, too much
• vanning = watering

So overvanning works like English overwatering in a sentence such as Overwatering is bad for the roots.

Because overvanning is treated as one thing: the general act or condition of overwatering.

So:

• Overvanning er ... = Overwatering is ...

Even though English learners may think of watering as something you do many times, the Norwegian noun overvanning is grammatically singular here.

Dårlig for is a very common Norwegian pattern meaning bad for.

So:

• dårlig for helsa = bad for your health
• dårlig for miljøet = bad for the environment
• dårlig for røttene = bad for the roots

This is just the normal preposition used with this expression. English speakers often want to translate word-for-word, but it is best to learn dårlig for as a fixed combination.

Røttene means the roots, while røtter means just roots in a general, indefinite sense.

The noun changes like this:

• singular indefinite: en rot = a root
• singular definite: rota / roten = the root
• plural indefinite: røtter = roots
• plural definite: røttene = the roots

In this sentence, Norwegian uses the definite plural: røttene.

This is an irregular vowel change that happens in some Norwegian nouns.

So:

• rot → røtter
• fot → føtter
• bok → bøker

You usually just have to learn this as part of the noun’s pattern. A dictionary entry will often show the plural form so you can memorize it.

Yes. It follows a very standard pattern:

• Overvanning = subject
• er = verb
• dårlig for røttene = complement

So the structure is basically:

Subject + verb + rest

This is the normal word order for a simple statement in Norwegian.

Not normally in this sentence. Røttene sounds natural because it refers to the roots of a plant in a general, practical sense.

If you said røtter instead, it would sound less idiomatic here. Norwegian often prefers the definite form in cases where English may use a more general noun.

So Overvanning er dårlig for røttene is the natural version.

The letter ø is a vowel that does not exist in standard English.

A rough guide:

• It is somewhat similar to the vowel in French bleu or German schön
• Your lips are rounded
• The tongue is placed fairly forward in the mouth

So røttene is not pronounced like rottene or ruttene.

If pronunciation matters for you, it helps to listen to native audio and repeat it, because ø is easier to learn by hearing than by reading descriptions.

Yes, especially in gardening, plant care, and agriculture. It is a perfectly natural word when talking about giving plants too much water.

You may also hear related expressions like:

• å vanne for mye = to water too much
• for mye vanning = too much watering

But overvanning is a normal and useful noun.

Yes. That also sounds natural.

The difference is mostly stylistic:

• Overvanning is a compact single-word term: overwatering
• For mye vanning is a more transparent phrase: too much watering

Both are correct, but overvanning is neat and concise, especially in informational or practical writing.

Here dårlig is used predicatively, after er.

In this sentence, the form dårlig is the normal one:

• Overvanning er dårlig ...

You do not need dårlige here.

Compare:

• En dårlig vane = an adjective before a noun
• Vanen er dårlig = an adjective after er

So in this sentence, dårlig is exactly the form you would expect.