Prinsessen bor i byen.

to live

Breakdown of Prinsessen bor i byen.

• i: in
• byen: the city
• prinsessen: the princess

Questions & Answers about Prinsessen bor i byen.

Why does prinsesse become prinsessen?

Because Norwegian usually adds the definite article to the end of the noun instead of putting a separate word like the in front.

• prinsesse = princess
• prinsessen = the princess

So -en here means the.

Why is byen used instead of just by?

For the same reason: byen is the definite form.

• by = a town / a city
• byen = the town / the city

In this sentence, Norwegian says i byen, literally in the town/city, where English might often say in town or in the city, depending on context.

Why are both nouns definite: prinsessen and byen?

Because the sentence is talking about a specific princess and a specific town or city.

• Prinsessen = the princess
• byen = the town / the city

This is completely normal in Norwegian. The sentence is not talking about any princess or any town in general.

Why is there no separate word for the?