Tauet ligger på gulvet.

on

Breakdown of Tauet ligger på gulvet.

• gulvet: the floor
• ligge: to lie (be located)
• tauet: the rope

Questions & Answers about Tauet ligger på gulvet.

Why is it tauet and not just tau?

Because tauet is the definite singular form of tau.

• et tau = a rope
• tauet = the rope

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

So in this sentence, tauet means that we are talking about a specific rope: the rope.

Is tau a neuter noun? How do its forms work?

Yes. Tau is a neuter noun, so it takes et in the indefinite singular.

A common set of forms is:

• et tau = a rope
• tauet = the rope
• tau = ropes or rope in some general uses
• tauene = the ropes

Many neuter nouns in Norwegian have no ending in the indefinite plural, so the singular and plural can sometimes look the same.

Why does the sentence use ligger instead of er?