Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Norwegian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Bilen krasjet i går.
Why is it bilen and not just bil?
Because bilen is the definite singular form: the car.
In Norwegian, the definite article is usually added to the end of the noun:
- en bil = a car
- bilen = the car
So bil by itself is just the dictionary form car, while bilen means a specific car.
Why does bil take -en at the end?
Bil is a common-gender noun in Norwegian, so its usual singular forms are:
- en bil = a car
- bilen = the car
That -en ending is the normal definite ending for many common-gender nouns in Bokmål.
What tense is krasjet?
Krasjet is in the past tense (also called the preterite).
The infinitive is:
- å krasje = to crash
And the past tense here is:
- krasjet = crashed
So the sentence is talking about something that happened in the past.
Why is it krasjet and not har krasjet?