Bålet brenner i hagen.

The bonfire burns in the garden.

Breakdown of Bålet brenner i hagen.

• i: in
• hagen: the garden
• brenne: to burn
• bålet: the bonfire

Questions & Answers about Bålet brenner i hagen.

Why does bålet end in -et?

Because bål is a neuter noun. In Norwegian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun.

• et bål = a fire / a bonfire
• bålet = the fire / the bonfire

So -et here means the for a neuter singular noun.

Why is there no separate word for the?

Norwegian often puts the onto the noun itself instead of using a separate word in front of it.

So instead of something like English the fire, Norwegian uses:

• bålet = the fire
• hagen = the garden

This is one of the first big differences English speakers notice.

Why is it hagen and not hageet or something with -et?

Because hage is a common gender noun, not a neuter noun.

Its forms are:

• en hage = a garden
• hagen = the garden

Common gender nouns usually take -en in the definite singular, while neuter nouns often take -et:

• en hage → hagen
• et bål → bålet

So this sentence is useful because it shows both patterns at once.

What form is brenner?