Fiskekroken sitter på fiskesnøret.

Because Norwegian very often makes compound nouns by joining words together.

• fiske = fishing / fish-
• krok = hook
• fiskekrok = fish hook / fishing hook

Then -en is added to make it definite:

• en fiskekrok = a fish hook
• fiskekroken = the fish hook

So fiskekroken is literally the fish-hook.

That ending marks the noun as definite.

For many masculine nouns in Norwegian:

• en krok = a hook
• kroken = the hook

Since fiskekrok is treated as a masculine noun, the definite form becomes:

• en fiskekrok = a fish hook
• fiskekroken = the fish hook

Unlike English, Norwegian often puts the at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word.

For the same reason: it is another compound noun.

• fiske = fishing / fish-
• snøre = line, cord, fishing line
• fiskesnøre = fishing line

Then the definite ending -et is added:

• et fiskesnøre = a fishing line
• fiskesnøret = the fishing line

So the sentence contains two compound nouns:

• fiskekroken
• fiskesnøret

Because they belong to different grammatical genders.

• en fiskekrok → masculine → fiskekroken
• et fiskesnøre → neuter → fiskesnøret

In Norwegian, the definite ending depends on the gender of the noun.

Very roughly:

• many masculine nouns: -en
• many neuter nouns: -et

So the endings are not random; they reflect noun gender.

Yes, sitter literally means sits, but in Norwegian it is also commonly used for the position or attachment of things.

Here it suggests that the hook is:

• sitting on
• fixed on
• attached to

the fishing line.

This is very natural in Norwegian. English often uses something more neutral like:

• is on the fishing line
• is attached to the fishing line

But Norwegian frequently uses verbs like sitte, stå, and ligge where English just uses be.

The preposition på often means on, but in Norwegian it can also be used in places where English might prefer on, in, or attached to, depending on context.

In this sentence, på fiskesnøret is natural because the hook is understood as being on/attached to the fishing line.

So although på is often translated as on, it is better to think of it here as expressing physical connection or placement.

Yes, it is understandable and natural enough, especially for describing where the hook is.

Depending on context, a native speaker might also say things like:

• Fiskekroken henger på fiskesnøret.
  The fish hook hangs on the fishing line.
• Fiskekroken er festet til fiskesnøret.
  The fish hook is attached to the fishing line.

But sitter på is a very normal way to describe something that is fixed in place.

The basic word order is:

subject + verb + prepositional phrase

• Fiskekroken = subject
• sitter = verb
• på fiskesnøret = prepositional phrase

So it follows a very familiar pattern for English speakers:

• The fish hook
  • is attached/sits
    • on the fishing line

This is a straightforward main clause in Norwegian.

Not in a normal sentence like this, if you mean the fish hook.

• fiskekrok by itself is not the normal indefinite singular form
• you would usually need the article: en fiskekrok

So the possibilities are:

• En fiskekrok sitter på fiskesnøret. = A fish hook is on the fishing line.
• Fiskekroken sitter på fiskesnøret. = The fish hook is on the fishing line.

Bare fiskekrok without an article sounds incomplete here.

A rough guide for an English speaker:

• fiskekroken ≈ FIS-keh-kroo-ken
• fiskesnøret ≈ FIS-keh-snuh-ret

A few useful points:

• ø does not exist in English; it is somewhat like the vowel in French deux or German schön
• the r is pronounced more clearly than in many English accents
• the final -et in snøret is usually pronounced, not silent

This is only approximate, but it helps as a starting point.

In compounds like these, fiske- usually has the sense of fishing or fish-related, depending on context.

So:

• fiskekrok = fishing hook / fish hook
• fiskesnøre = fishing line

You do not need to translate each part too literally every time. In compounds, the first part often acts like a descriptive element.

Yes. Even if the literal structure is closer to The fish hook sits on the fishing line, a more natural English translation in many contexts is:

The fish hook is attached to the fishing line.

That is because sitter på often describes something being fixed in position, not literally sitting like a person.

So if you are trying to understand the Norwegian grammar, think sits/is positioned; if you are trying to produce natural English, is attached to may be better.

Yes, that is a good idea. This sentence teaches several useful patterns at once:

• compound nouns: fiskekrok, fiskesnøre
• definite endings: -en, -et
• position verb: sitter
• preposition: på

A useful pattern to remember is:

[definite thing] + sitter på + [definite thing]

For example:

• Knappen sitter på skjorta.
  The button is on the shirt.
• Lappen sitter på flaska.
  The label is on the bottle.

This helps you get used to natural Norwegian phrasing.