Bilen trenger drivstoff.

Because bilen is the definite form, meaning the car.

In Norwegian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun:

• en bil = a car
• bilen = the car

So Bilen trenger drivstoff means The car needs fuel, not just Car needs fuel.

Bil is a common-gender noun in Norwegian, so its forms are:

• en bil = a car
• bilen = the car

The ending -en is the usual definite singular ending for many common-gender nouns.

This is a very common pattern in Norwegian:

• en hund → hunden
• en stol → stolen
• en bil → bilen

Trenger means needs or requires in this sentence.

The infinitive is å trenge = to need.

Examples:

• Jeg trenger hjelp. = I need help.
• Vi trenger mer tid. = We need more time.
• Bilen trenger drivstoff. = The car needs fuel.

So here, trenger is the present-tense verb form.

Because trenger is the present tense form.

In Norwegian:

• å trenge = to need
• trenger = need / needs

Norwegian verbs do not change depending on the subject the way English verbs do. The same present-tense form is used with all subjects:

• Jeg trenger = I need
• Du trenger = you need
• Han trenger = he needs
• Bilen trenger = the car needs

So trenger works for both need and needs, depending on the subject.

Because Norwegian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word before it.

English:

• the car

Norwegian:

• bilen

That suffix -en already includes the meaning of the.

This is one of the biggest differences English speakers notice early on.

Drivstoff is a noun meaning fuel.

In this sentence it is used in a general sense, so there is no article before it.

It can refer to fuel in general, not only one specific type. Depending on context, that could mean:

• gasoline / petrol
• diesel
• fuel more generally

So Bilen trenger drivstoff is a natural general statement: The car needs fuel.

Because drivstoff is being used as an uncountable or general noun here, similar to English fuel.

Compare:

• Bilen trenger drivstoff. = The car needs fuel.
• Bilen trenger bensin. = The car needs gasoline/petrol.

Just like in English, you usually do not say the fuel unless you mean specific fuel already mentioned.

Yes, if you specifically mean gasoline/petrol.

The difference is:

• drivstoff = fuel in general
• bensin = petrol / gasoline specifically
• diesel = diesel specifically

So:

• Bilen trenger drivstoff. = The car needs fuel.
• Bilen trenger bensin. = The car needs petrol/gasoline.

If you do not want to specify the type, drivstoff is a good general choice.

No, this is the normal basic Norwegian word order: subject + verb + object.

• Bilen = subject
• trenger = verb
• drivstoff = object

So the structure is very similar to English:

• The car
  • needs
    • fuel

That makes this sentence quite straightforward for English speakers.

No, not in the present tense the way English verbs do.

In English:

• I need
• she needs

In Norwegian:

• jeg trenger
• hun trenger
• bilen trenger

The verb stays the same. This is usually good news for learners, because you do not have to memorize different present-tense forms for different subjects.

A simple learner-friendly approximation is:

BEE-len TREN-ger DREEV-stoff

A few notes:

• bilen has two syllables: bi-len
• trenger has a clear ng sound, like in English sing
• drivstoff is often pronounced with the stress on the first syllable: DRIV-stoff

Pronunciation varies somewhat by dialect, but this approximation is a useful starting point.

This sentence is standard Bokmål.

In Nynorsk, you would more naturally see:

• Bilen treng drivstoff.

The main difference here is the verb:

• Bokmål: trenger
• Nynorsk: treng

So Bilen trenger drivstoff is the Bokmål form.

Yes. Å trenge can also mean to penetrate or to get through in some contexts, but that is a different use.

For example:

• Lys trenger inn gjennom vinduet. = Light comes in / penetrates through the window.

However, in Bilen trenger drivstoff, the meaning is clearly needs. That is the meaning learners should focus on here.