Questions & Answers about Båten begynner å synke.
Why is båten one word, and where is the word for the?
In Norwegian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun.
- båt = boat
- båten = the boat
So instead of saying the boat as two separate words, Norwegian often says it as one word.
In this sentence, båten is the singular definite form.
What does begynner mean here, and why does it end in -r?
Begynner is the present tense of the verb å begynne, which means to begin.
So:
- å begynne = to begin
- begynner = begins / is beginning
The -r ending is very common for present tense verbs in Norwegian.
Why is there an å before synke?
Here, å is the infinitive marker, similar to to in English infinitives.
- å synke = to sink
After begynner, Norwegian normally uses å + infinitive:
- begynner å synke = begins to sink
So the structure is very close to English here.
Why is it synke and not synker?