Senatet godkjenner planen.

Because senatet is the definite singular form of the neuter noun et senat.

In Norwegian, instead of usually putting a separate word like the in front of the noun, you often add the definiteness to the end of the noun:

• et senat = a senate
• senatet = the senate

So Senatet godkjenner planen means The senate approves the plan.

For the same reason: planen is the definite singular form of en plan.

• en plan = a plan
• planen = the plan

This noun is a common gender noun, so its definite singular ending is -en.

Compare:

• en plan → planen
• et senat → senatet

In Norwegian, definiteness is very often shown by an ending on the noun rather than by a separate article.

So English:

• the senate
• the plan

becomes Norwegian:

• senatet
• planen

That is one of the biggest structural differences from English. Norwegian does have forms like den, det, and de, but in a simple sentence like this, the noun usually carries the definite ending by itself.

Godkjenner is in the present tense.

The infinitive is å godkjenne = to approve.
The present tense is formed here as:

• å godkjenne → godkjenner

So:

• Senatet godkjenner planen = The senate approves the plan

Depending on context, a present tense in Norwegian can sometimes also sound natural in English as is approving, but the basic form here is simple present: approves.

Yes. Norwegian verbs do not change according to person the way English verbs partly do.

In English:

• I approve
• you approve
• the senate approve/approves

In Norwegian, the verb form stays the same:

• jeg godkjenner
• du godkjenner
• senatet godkjenner

So you do not need to learn separate present-tense verb endings for I, you, he, they, etc.

This is the normal Norwegian main clause word order:

subject + verb + object

So:

• Senatet = subject
• godkjenner = verb
• planen = object

That makes it very similar to basic English word order:

• The senate / approves / the plan

Not normally, unless it begins the sentence, as it does here.

Norwegian capitalization rules are simpler than English ones in some ways. Ordinary nouns are not capitalized just because they are nouns. So inside a sentence you would usually write:

• senatet
• planen

But at the beginning of a sentence, the first word is capitalized:

• Senatet godkjenner planen.

You usually learn the noun together with its article:

• et senat
• en plan

That tells you the gender:

• senat is neuter: et
• plan is common gender: en

This matters because it affects the definite form:

• et senat → senatet
• en plan → planen

A very good habit is to memorize nouns with their article, not by themselves.

Yes. Senatet can refer to the senate in a general institutional sense or to a specific senate already understood from context.

Norwegian does not need a special grammatical form here. Context tells you whether it means:

• a specific senate in a political system
• the senate as an institution
• possibly a senate in some other organization

So the sentence can work well in a formal or political context.

A rough guide is:

godkjenner ≈ GOH-dshen-er or goo-YEN-er, depending on accent and how detailed you want to be

A few helpful points:

• g in god- is pronounced as a hard g
• kj is a sound that can be difficult for English speakers; in many dialects it is a soft sound somewhat like a very light hy or a soft sh-like sound
• the r at the end may be lighter than in many English accents

Pronunciation varies by dialect, so do not worry if different speakers sound slightly different.

The dictionary forms are:

• senat → usually learned as et senat
• godkjenne → usually learned as å godkjenne
• plan → usually learned as en plan

So the sentence is built from:

• et senat → senatet
• å godkjenne → godkjenner
• en plan → planen

Almost:

• Senatet = the senate
• godkjenner = approves
• planen = the plan

So the word-for-word translation is very close to natural English.

The only thing to remember is that Norwegian expresses the through the endings -et and -en, rather than with a separate word in front.