Nøkkelnummeret står på sikkerhetskortet.

The key number is stated on the security card.

Breakdown of Nøkkelnummeret står på sikkerhetskortet.

• på: on
• stå: to say (in writing)
• nøkkelnummeret: the key number
• sikkerhetskortet: the security card

Questions & Answers about Nøkkelnummeret står på sikkerhetskortet.

Why are nøkkelnummeret and sikkerhetskortet written as single words?

Because Norwegian very often makes compound nouns by joining words together.

• nøkkelnummeret = nøkkel
  • nummer
    • -et
• sikkerhetskortet = sikkerhet
  • sikkerhets-
    • kort
      • -et

This is much more normal in Norwegian than in English. Where English often writes key number or security card as two words, Norwegian typically combines them into one noun.

Why do both nouns end in -et?

The ending -et is the definite singular ending for many neuter nouns in Norwegian.

So:

• et nummer = a number
• nummeret = the number

and:

• et kort = a card
• kortet = the card

In compounds, the last part decides the gender:

• nøkkelnummer has nummer as its main part, so it is neuter
• sikkerhetskort has kort as its main part, so it is also neuter

That is why both become definite with -et.

Why isn’t there a separate word for the?