Mangelen står i klagebrevet.

Because Norwegian usually adds the definite article to the end of the noun.

• en mangel = a defect / a deficiency / a lack
• mangelen = the defect / the deficiency / the lack

So -en here is the definite singular ending. This tells you the sentence is talking about a specific defect or deficiency, not just any one.

Mangel is a common-gender noun in Bokmål, so it normally takes en in the indefinite singular:

• en mangel
• mangelen

In context, mangel can mean things like:

• defect
• fault
• deficiency
• lack

Which English word fits best depends on the situation. In a complaint context, defect or fault is often the most natural choice.

Yes, stå literally means stand, but in Norwegian it is also very commonly used in the sense of be written, be stated, or appear in text.

So in a sentence like Mangelen står i klagebrevet, står does not mean that something is physically standing. It means that the defect or issue is mentioned / is stated / appears in the complaint letter.

This is a very natural use in Norwegian. Compare similar English ideas like:

• It says in the letter...
• The letter states that...

Because klagebrevet is a definite noun form, and Norwegian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word like English the.

The base noun is:

• et klagebrev = a complaint letter

The definite form is:

• klagebrevet = the complaint letter

So:

• i klagebrevet = in the complaint letter

Also, klagebrev is a compound noun:

• klage = complaint
• brev = letter

These are joined into one word in Norwegian, which is very common.

With written content, Norwegian often uses stå i when something is written in a text, letter, article, or document.

So:

• Det står i brevet = It says in the letter
• Det står i avisen = It says in the newspaper

You are thinking about the content being inside the text, not physically on the surface of the object.

Norwegian can use på in other situations, especially when referring more literally to a surface or location, but with this kind of meaning, stå i is the normal choice.

Står is the present tense of stå.

Some useful forms are:

• å stå = to stand
• står = stands / is standing / is written
• sto = stood / was written
• har stått = has stood / has been written

In this sentence, the present tense is used because Norwegian often uses the present when talking about what a text says:

• Det står i brevet at... = The letter says that...

No, this is normal main-clause word order in Norwegian:

• Mangelen = subject
• står = verb
• i klagebrevet = prepositional phrase

So it follows the basic pattern:

• Subject + Verb + Other information

That makes this sentence structurally straightforward.

Yes. Mangel is a somewhat flexible word. Depending on context, mangelen could mean:

• the defect
• the fault
• the deficiency
• the lack

In a customer complaint or legal/administrative context, it often refers to a specific problem with a product, service, or delivery. So the exact English wording depends on the wider situation.

Because Norwegian forms compound nouns by joining words together.

So:

• klage
  • brev = klagebrev

This is very normal in Norwegian. English often writes similar ideas as separate words, but Norwegian usually prefers one combined word.

Other examples:

• skolebok = schoolbook
• sommerferie = summer holiday
• kjøkkenbord = kitchen table

So klagebrev being one word is exactly what you should expect.

Yes. Norwegian has several natural ways to express the same basic idea. For example:

• Mangelen er nevnt i klagebrevet. = The defect is mentioned in the complaint letter.
• Mangelen er beskrevet i klagebrevet. = The defect is described in the complaint letter.
• Det står i klagebrevet at det er en mangel. = It says in the complaint letter that there is a defect.

But Mangelen står i klagebrevet is a compact and natural way of saying that the defect is stated or mentioned there.

A Norwegian speaker would usually understand it as saying that the defect or issue is mentioned in the complaint letter or appears in the complaint letter.

They would not normally interpret står literally here. The natural reading is about information being contained in a written document. So the sentence is idiomatic and ordinary Norwegian.