Den gjenlevende ektefellen leser ektepakten.

This is a very common Norwegian pattern called double definiteness.

In Bokmål, when a noun is definite and has an adjective before it, you usually get:

• a definite article before the adjective: den
• the adjective in definite form
• the noun with its definite ending

So:

• ektefelle = a spouse
• ektefellen = the spouse
• den gjenlevende ektefellen = the surviving spouse

That is why Norwegian uses both den and -en here.
English only says the surviving spouse, but Norwegian normally says den gjenlevende ektefellen.

Gjenlevende means surviving. It comes from a present participle-like form and is commonly used as an adjective.

In this sentence, it appears in the definite adjective form, because it belongs to den ... ektefellen.

With many adjectives, the definite form often ends in -e:

• en stor bil = a big car
• den store bilen = the big car

Here, gjenlevende already has that form and stays gjenlevende.

So:

• en gjenlevende ektefelle = a surviving spouse
• den gjenlevende ektefellen = the surviving spouse

Ektefelle means spouse. It is gender-neutral, so it can refer to either:

• a husband
• a wife

If Norwegian wants to be specific, it can use:

• ektemann = husband
• hustru or kone = wife

But ektefelle is the neutral legal/formal word, and that fits well in a sentence like this.

Ektepakten is the definite form of ektepakt, which means a marital agreement or prenuptial/postnuptial agreement, depending on context.

It is one word because Norwegian very often forms compound nouns as a single word.

Here:

• ekte- relates to marriage/spouse
• pakt means pact/agreement

So:

• ektepakt = marriage contract / marital agreement
• ektepakten = the marriage contract / the marital agreement

This one-word style is very normal in Norwegian.

In Norwegian, the definite article is usually attached to the noun as an ending.

So:

• en ektepakt = a marriage contract
• ektepakten = the marriage contract

You only add den/det/de before the noun when there is usually an adjective or some other modifier:

• ektepakten = the marriage contract
• den gamle ektepakten = the old marriage contract

So in your sentence, there is no adjective before ektepakten, so the ending -en is enough.

Leser is the present tense of å lese = to read.

So:

• å lese = to read
• leser = reads / is reading

In Norwegian, the present tense often covers both English meanings:

• Den gjenlevende ektefellen leser ektepakten.
  • The surviving spouse reads the marriage contract.
  • The surviving spouse is reading the marriage contract.

The exact meaning depends on context.

In a normal Norwegian main clause, the basic word order is:

subject + verb + object

So here:

• Den gjenlevende ektefellen = subject
• leser = verb
• ektepakten = object

That means:

• The surviving spouse is doing the reading
• the marriage contract is what is being read

Norwegian does not use case endings the way German does, so word order is very important.

Because ektefelle is a common gender singular noun in Bokmål.

Norwegian definite articles used before adjectives depend on gender and number:

• den = common gender singular
• det = neuter singular
• de = plural

Since ektefelle is common gender singular, you get:

• den gjenlevende ektefellen

If it were a neuter noun, you would use det.
If it were plural, you would use de.

It sounds somewhat formal or legal because of the vocabulary:

• gjenlevende ektefelle is a formal/legal way to say surviving spouse
• ektepakt is also a legal term

In everyday speech, people might use simpler wording depending on the situation. But this sentence is perfectly natural, especially in legal, official, or administrative contexts.

A careful approximate pronunciation is:

den YEN-ლეh-ven-deh EHK-teh-fel-len LEH-ser EHK-teh-pak-ten

A few helpful notes:

• gj in gjenlevende is often pronounced like English y at the start of yes
• kj and tj sounds can be tricky in Norwegian, but they do not appear here
• leser has a long e sound: roughly LEH-ser
• ekte- begins with a clear ek- sound

If you want to sound more natural, listening to native audio is the best next step, since Norwegian pitch accent is hard to show in English spelling.

Yes, depending on context, that is a possible English translation.

Ektepakt is a legal agreement between spouses about property and finances. In English, people may translate it as:

• marital agreement
• marriage contract
• prenuptial agreement
• sometimes postnuptial agreement, depending on when it was made

So if the meaning has already been given to the learner, it is good to remember that the Norwegian word is a legal term with some range in English translation.

Yes. Both are in the definite singular, but they come from different noun genders/classes.

• ektefelle is a common gender noun:

  • en ektefelle
  • ektefellen

• ektepakt is also commonly treated as a common gender noun:

  • en ektepakt
  • ektepakten

So the ending -en here marks the.

This is one of the most important things for English speakers to get used to: Norwegian often puts the at the end of the noun instead of as a separate word in front.