Nattsynet påvirkes av lysforurensningen.

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Breakdown of Nattsynet påvirkes av lysforurensningen.

• påvirke: to affect; influence
• nattsynet: the night vision
• lysforurensningen: the light pollution

Questions & Answers about Nattsynet påvirkes av lysforurensningen.

Why does påvirkes end in -s here?

The -s marks the passive voice in Norwegian.

• påvirker = affects (active)
• påvirkes = is affected / gets affected (passive)

So:

• Nattsynet påvirkes av lysforurensningen. = Night vision is affected by the light pollution.

A very natural active version would be:

• Lysforurensningen påvirker nattsynet. = The light pollution affects night vision.

Norwegian often uses this -s passive instead of a separate verb like is affected.

Why is it nattsynet and not just nattsyn?

Nattsynet is the definite singular form: the night vision.

• nattsyn = night vision
• nattsynet = the night vision

In Norwegian, definiteness is usually added to the end of the noun:

• en bil = a car → bilen = the car
• et hus = a house → huset = the house
• et nattsyn is not really how this word is normally used, but grammatically nattsynet is the definite neuter form

In this sentence, the speaker is talking about night vision as a known or specific thing, so the definite form is natural.

Why is it lysforurensningen with -en at the end?