Filmen handler om mafiaen.

the film

Breakdown of Filmen handler om mafiaen.

• handle om: to be about
• mafiaen: the mafia

Questions & Answers about Filmen handler om mafiaen.

Why is it filmen and not just film?

Because filmen is the definite singular form of film.

• film = a film / film
• filmen = the film

In Norwegian, the idea of the is often added to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word in front.

So:

• en film = a film
• filmen = the film

Does handler mean handles here?

Not in the English sense of handles.

The verb is å handle, and in the expression å handle om, it means to be about or to deal with.

So:

• Filmen handler om mafiaen = The film is about the mafia

This is a very common Norwegian expression. It is best learned as a whole chunk:

• handle om = be about

Why do we need om?