Restauranten er stor.

The restaurant is big.

Breakdown of Restauranten er stor.

• være: to be
• stor: big
• restaurant: the restaurant

Questions & Answers about Restauranten er stor.

Why do we use Restauranten as opposed to en restaurant?

In Norwegian, -en at the end of a noun indicates that the noun is in the definite form (similar to the in English). By using Restauranten, you’re specifying the restaurant instead of just a restaurant.

Why is the adjective stor used here, rather than stort or store?

The adjective in Norwegian has to agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Restaurant is a masculine noun, so we use the masculine form stor. For a neuter noun (e.g., hus, meaning house), you typically use stort, and for plural forms or when the adjective is placed before the noun in certain constructions, you often use store.

Is er the correct form of to be for all subjects in Norwegian?

Yes, er is used with any subject in Norwegian. Whether the subject is singular or plural, first person or third person, you always use er for the present tense of å være (to be).

Why is the adjective placed after the verb instead of before the noun?

In Norwegian, when you say something or someone is (using er) and then add an adjective, the adjective typically comes after the verb. If you place the adjective before the noun, you usually have to make it agree and often use the definite or plural form depending on the context (e.g., den store restauranten, which literally translates to the big restaurant).