Arbeidsstasjonen er liten; ikke desto mindre er skjermavstanden god.

Because they are in the definite singular form.

• arbeidsstasjon = workstation

• arbeidsstasjonen = the workstation

• skjermavstand = screen distance
• skjermavstanden = the screen distance

In Norwegian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word like English the.

Both words are also compound nouns, which is very common in Norwegian:

• arbeid
  • stasjon → arbeidsstasjon
• skjerm
  • avstand → skjermavstand

So arbeidsstasjonen is literally the workstation, and skjermavstanden is the screen distance.

Because liten here is a predicative adjective: it comes after er and describes the subject.

In Norwegian, predicative adjectives usually agree with the noun in:

• gender
• number

but not in definiteness.

So even though arbeidsstasjonen is definite (the workstation), the adjective stays in the normal singular form for a common-gender noun:

• Arbeidsstasjonen er liten. = The workstation is small.

Compare:

• en liten arbeidsstasjon = a small workstation
• den lille arbeidsstasjonen = the small workstation
• arbeidsstasjonen er liten = the workstation is small

So:

• lille is used before a definite noun
• liten is used after er

Because skjermavstanden is a singular common-gender noun, and predicative adjectives must agree with the noun’s gender and number.

• common gender singular → god
• neuter singular → godt
• plural → gode

So:

• skjermavstanden er god
• but: huset er godt would only work if god were being used in a context where that adjective fits a neuter noun

Here, avstand is a common-gender noun, so god is the correct form.

It is a fixed expression meaning nevertheless, nonetheless, or all the same.

It connects the second clause to the first and shows contrast:

• Arbeidsstasjonen er liten → one fact
• ikke desto mindre er skjermavstanden god → despite that, another fact

This expression is fairly formal or written in style. In everyday Norwegian, people might more often say:

• likevel
• allikevel
• men ... likevel

So the sentence could be rewritten more simply as:

• Arbeidsstasjonen er liten, men skjermavstanden er likevel god.

Because Norwegian follows the V2 rule in main clauses: the finite verb must come in the second position.

When ikke desto mindre is placed first, it counts as the first element of the clause. That means the verb must come next:

• Ikke desto mindre er skjermavstanden god.

Structure:

1. Ikke desto mindre
2. er
3. skjermavstanden
4. god

This is the same pattern you see in many Norwegian sentences:

• I dag er været fint.
• Derfor kommer han sent.
• Likevel er resultatet bra.

So the inversion is normal and required in a main clause.

The semicolon links two independent clauses that are closely related.

• Arbeidsstasjonen er liten
• ikke desto mindre er skjermavstanden god

Both parts could stand as full sentences on their own, but the semicolon shows a strong connection between them.

It works much like English semicolon usage.

You could also write:

• Arbeidsstasjonen er liten. Ikke desto mindre er skjermavstanden god.

That is also correct, but the semicolon makes the relationship feel tighter and more elegant in writing.

Yes. Norwegian normally writes compound nouns as one word, where English often uses two words.

So:

• screen distance → skjermavstand
• work station / workstation → arbeidsstasjon

Then the definite ending is added to the whole compound:

• skjermavstanden
• arbeidsstasjonen

This is a very important habit to get used to in Norwegian.

Sometimes yes, but god is the more natural choice in this sentence.

• god often means good, suitable, satisfactory, adequate
• bra is often more general and colloquial

With something like avstand, Norwegian often prefers god when talking about a distance being appropriate or ergonomically acceptable.

So:

• skjermavstanden er god sounds natural
• skjermavstanden er bra is understandable, but may sound a bit less precise or slightly less idiomatic depending on context

Because a noun can be definite just by adding the ending:

• arbeidsstasjonen
• skjermavstanden

You only add den/det/de when there is usually an adjective before the noun, or in certain other structures.

Compare:

• arbeidsstasjonen = the workstation

• den lille arbeidsstasjonen = the small workstation

• skjermavstanden = the screen distance
• den gode skjermavstanden = the good screen distance

So in your sentence, there is no adjective directly before the nouns, so the ending -en is enough.

It is understood by everyone, but it sounds more formal, written, or slightly elevated.

In everyday speech, many speakers would be more likely to say:

• likevel
• allikevel
• men ... likevel

For example:

• Arbeidsstasjonen er liten, men skjermavstanden er likevel god.

So yes, it is correct and natural, but it has a somewhat more formal tone than the most common spoken alternatives.

It is a common-gender noun in Bokmål.

That is why you get:

• en arbeidsstasjon
• arbeidsstasjonen
• en liten arbeidsstasjon
• arbeidsstasjonen er liten

If it were a neuter noun, the adjective in predicative position would be different:

• common gender singular → liten
• neuter singular → lite
• plural → små or other plural adjective forms depending on the adjective

So the form liten tells you that arbeidsstasjon is not neuter.

Yes. A very natural everyday version would be:

• Arbeidsstasjonen er liten, men skjermavstanden er likevel god.

That version is less formal and probably more common in speech.

The original sentence is still perfectly correct; it just sounds a bit more polished or formal because of ikke desto mindre and the semicolon.