Startnummeret kontrolleres ved målgangen.

Because Norwegian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun.

• startnummer = start number / race bib number
• startnummeret = the start number / the bib number

The ending -et shows that the noun is:

• singular
• definite
• neuter gender

So instead of having a separate word like English the, Norwegian often adds the definiteness directly to the noun.

It is a compound noun, which is very common in Norwegian.

It is made from:

• start = start
• nummer = number

Together, startnummer means the number assigned to a participant, for example in a race.

When you make it definite, only the last part of the compound gets the definite ending:

• et startnummer = a start number
• startnummeret = the start number

In Norwegian, definiteness is often shown with an ending instead of a separate article.

So:

• English: the start number
• Norwegian: startnummeret

This is one of the biggest differences from English. A native English speaker may expect something like det startnummer, but that is not how Norwegian normally works here.

Kontrolleres is the present passive form of the verb kontrollere.

• å kontrollere = to check / to inspect
• kontrollerer = checks / is checking
• kontrolleres = is checked / gets checked

The -s ending is a very common way to make a passive verb in Norwegian, especially in formal, neutral, or written language.

So the sentence uses a passive structure rather than saying who performs the action.

Because the sentence focuses on what happens to the start number, not on who checks it.

That is exactly what the passive is good for.

Compare:

• Startnummeret kontrolleres ved målgangen.
  = The focus is on the start number being checked.

• Funksjonærene kontrollerer startnummeret ved målgangen.
  = The focus is on the officials doing the checking.

In notices, instructions, rules, and official descriptions, Norwegian often prefers this kind of passive wording.

Yes. That is also correct.

There are two common passive constructions in Norwegian:

• s-passive: kontrolleres
• bli-passive: blir kontrollert

Both can mean roughly the same thing here.

The difference is mostly one of style:

• kontrolleres sounds a bit more formal, concise, or official
• blir kontrollert can sound a bit more spoken or slightly more explicit

In a short informational sentence like this, kontrolleres is very natural.

The preposition ved often means at, by, or upon, depending on context.

Here, ved målgangen means something like:

• at the finish line
• at the finish
• upon finishing, depending on context

It refers to the point or place where the checking happens.

For an English speaker, ved is often worth learning as a flexible preposition that can cover several ideas English expresses differently.

Målgangen is the definite form of målgang.

• målgang = finish, finish line, finishing area, crossing the finish
• målgangen = the finish / the finish line / the finishing area

Like startnummeret, it has the definite article attached at the end:

• en målgang = a finish
• målgangen = the finish

Exactly how you translate it depends on the situation, but grammatically it is simply a definite noun after the preposition ved.

Because this is a normal Norwegian main clause with the subject first:

• Startnummeret = subject
• kontrolleres = verb
• ved målgangen = adverbial/prepositional phrase

So the pattern is basically:

Subject + Verb + Adverbial

That is very common in Norwegian.

Also, Norwegian main clauses normally follow the V2 rule, which means the finite verb comes in the second position. Since the subject comes first here, the verb naturally comes right after it.

Yes, very much so.

The sentence has several features that make it sound neutral and official:

• the passive form kontrolleres
• a concise style
• no mention of who performs the action
• a factual, instruction-like tone

You might see this kind of wording in:

• race instructions
• announcements
• regulations
• event signage

In everyday conversation, people might use a more active sentence instead.

A more spoken version might be:

• De kontrollerer startnummeret ved målgangen.
• Startnummeret blir kontrollert ved målgangen.
• Man kontrollerer startnummeret ved målgangen.

These are all natural in the right context.

The original sentence is not unnatural, but it is a bit more written or informational in tone.

Yes, the -es ending is pronounced, so you do hear the passive ending.

Very roughly, you can think of it as:

• kontrollere
• kontrolleres

The -s is not silent. That matters because the passive is being marked directly on the verb form.

A learner should pay attention to this, since the written -s is not just spelling—it carries real grammatical meaning.

The biggest takeaways are:

1. Definiteness is attached to the noun

   • startnummeret, målgangen

2. Norwegian often uses an s-passive

   • kontrolleres = is checked

3. Compound nouns are very common

   • startnummer

4. Prepositions do not always match English one-to-one

   • ved can cover meanings like at or upon

If you notice those four things, this sentence becomes much easier to understand structurally.