Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Norwegian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Vi går til en stor butikk.
Why do we use "til" in this sentence instead of "i" or "på"?
"Til" indicates movement toward a destination or place in Norwegian. "I" can mean "in/inside" or sometimes "to," but more in the context of being inside something, and "på" can have the nuance of being on top of or at a place. Here, "til" is the most natural choice to express going to a store.
Why is the article "en" used before the noun?
In Norwegian, "en" is the masculine (and sometimes common) indefinite article, similar to "a" in English. "Butikk" is masculine in Norwegian, so "en" must be used.
Why does "stor" come before "butikk"?
In Norwegian, attributive adjectives normally precede the noun they describe. So "stor" (meaning "big") comes before "butikk" instead of after it.
What is the difference between "Vi går" and "Vi drar"?
"Vi går" literally means "We walk" or "We go (by walking)." "Vi drar" means "We leave" or "We go," typically implying travel that isn't necessarily on foot. In everyday speech, "går" often implies walking specifically.
How is the plural form of "butikk" constructed, and would "store butikker" work?
The plural of "butikk" is "butikker." If you want to say "big stores," you use "store butikker," where "store" is the plural form of "stor" and "butikker" is the plural form of "butikk."