Natten er kort.

to be

Breakdown of Natten er kort.

• kort: short
• natten: the night

Questions & Answers about Natten er kort.

Why does natten have two ts instead of one?

In Norwegian, the base word is natt (meaning night) and it already contains double t. When forming the definite singular, you add the suffix -en, resulting in natten (meaning the night).

Is natten the definite form of natt?

Yes. In Norwegian, the indefinite singular form is natt (a night), while the definite singular is natten (the night).

Why is er used here instead of another verb?

Er is the present tense of the verb å være (to be). In this sentence, it expresses a state of being: Natten er kort (The night is short).

Is kort used only for physical length, or can it also describe time duration?

Kort can describe both physical length and time duration in Norwegian. Here, it refers to the relative shortness of the duration of the night.

How would I say The nights are short in Norwegian?

You would say Nettene er korte. Notice how both nettene (the nights) and korte (short) are plural forms.