Tom kjøper mat i butikken.

Tom buys food in the store.

Breakdown of Tom kjøper mat i butikken.

• Tom: Tom
• mat: the food
• butikk: the store
• i: in
• kjøpe: to buy

Questions & Answers about Tom kjøper mat i butikken.

Why is the verb kjøper used here instead of kjøpe?

In Norwegian, you conjugate verbs for tense (and sometimes for person). Kjøper is the present tense form of the verb å kjøpe (to buy). So Tom kjøper means Tom buys or Tom is buying in English, describing an ongoing or habitual action right now.

Why do we say mat without a definite article?

Mat means food in an uncountable sense. In Norwegian, uncountable nouns (such as food in general) are typically used in their indefinite form. You can say maten if you’re talking about specific food, like "the food" that was cooked earlier.

What does i butikken mean and why is i used instead of på?

I butikken literally translates to in the store. The preposition i is used to indicate location inside a building, while på is more common for places like squares, stations, or locations viewed as an open area. Think of i as in (enclosed space) and på as on (more open surface or setting).

Can Tom be replaced with a pronoun, and if so, how?

Yes! You could replace Tom with han (he). So, Tom kjøper mat i butikken can become Han kjøper mat i butikken. Pronouns in Norwegian must agree with the gender of the person or object.

Why is there no extra to or for in Norwegian before the object?

In Norwegian, you typically place the direct object right after the verb without adding another word (like to in English, as in "Tom buys food"). Norwegian doesn’t require a separate preposition if it’s a straightforward direct object.