Malingen forvandler rommet.

Because -en is the usual definite ending for many masculine nouns in Norwegian Bokmål.

• maling = paint / painting (indefinite)
• malingen = the paint / the painting (definite)

In this sentence, malingen most naturally means the paint.

Rommet is the definite singular form of rom.

• et rom = a room
• rommet = the room

Norwegian often adds the definite article as an ending to the noun instead of using a separate word like English the.

Forvandler is the present tense of the verb å forvandle, which means to transform or to change completely.

Examples:

• å forvandle = to transform
• forvandler = transforms / is transforming

So Malingen forvandler rommet literally has the structure The paint transforms the room.

In Norwegian, definiteness is often built into the noun itself.

Instead of saying something like:

• the paint
• the room

Norwegian commonly says:

• malingen
• rommet

This is one of the biggest differences from English. The definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun.

The word order is the normal Subject – Verb – Object pattern:

• Malingen = subject
• forvandler = verb
• rommet = object

So it works just like a basic English sentence:

• The paint transforms the room

In a simple main clause like this, Norwegian usually relies on word order.

The first noun before the verb is normally the subject, and the noun after the verb is normally the object:

• Malingen = the thing doing the action
• rommet = the thing being affected by the action

So the sentence means that the paint changes the room, not the other way around.

Yes, in some contexts maling can relate to painting/paint, but in this sentence malingen is most naturally understood as the paint.

That is because:

• forvandler rommet sounds like something paint does to a room
• the painting transforms the room is possible, but less likely without more context

So context decides the most natural meaning.

Yes, å forvandle is a normal and useful verb. It means to transform, often in a fairly strong or dramatic way.

A simpler or less dramatic alternative might be:

• å endre = to change
• å gjøre om = to remake / convert / change

But forvandle suggests a more striking change, which fits well in a sentence about how paint can completely change a room.

A rough guide for an English speaker is:

MAH-ling-en for-VAHND-ler ROM-met

A few tips:

• r in Norwegian is usually stronger than in most English accents
• a in malingen is more like ah
• o in rommet is closer to a long oo-type sound in many dialects, though pronunciation varies

Exact pronunciation depends somewhat on dialect, but this rough version will help you get started.

Yes, but it changes the meaning.

• Malingen forvandler rommet = The paint transforms the room
• Malingen forvandler et rom = The paint transforms a room

So rommet refers to a specific room, while et rom means any room or an unspecified room.

Because the sentence is talking about specific things:

• malingen = a specific paint
• rommet = a specific room

This is very natural in Norwegian, especially when describing a known situation, such as discussing a particular home-improvement project or result.

The infinitive version would center on the verb å forvandle:

• å forvandle = to transform

A dictionary-style breakdown of the sentence is:

• maling(en) = paint / the paint
• å forvandle → forvandler = to transform → transforms
• rom(met) = room / the room

That helps you recognize the base forms behind the sentence.