Jeg spiser brød på restauranten.

I eat bread at the restaurant.

Breakdown of Jeg spiser brød på restauranten.

• jeg: I
• spise: to eat
• brød: the bread
• restaurant: the restaurant
• på: at

Questions & Answers about Jeg spiser brød på restauranten.

What does each word in the sentence "Jeg spiser brød på restauranten" mean?

• Jeg means I.
• Spiser is the present tense form of å spise, meaning eat or am eating.
• Brød translates as bread.
• På is a preposition that means at (or in some contexts on).
• Restauranten means the restaurant—with the suffix -en marking the definite form of the masculine noun restaurant.

Why is the definite article attached to "restaurant" as the ending -en instead of being a separate word?

In Norwegian, definite articles for nouns are typically expressed by adding a suffix. For masculine nouns, the definite suffix is -en. So, restaurant becomes restauranten to mean the restaurant.

Why is "på" used as the preposition in this sentence, and when is it preferred over "i"?

The preposition på is used in Norwegian for locations that are viewed as specific sites or establishments—like restaurants, schools, or offices. It parallels the English preposition at. In contrast, i is generally used for enclosed spaces or larger areas such as cities, countries, or rooms.

How is the present tense expressed in this sentence, particularly regarding the verb "spiser"?

Norwegian verbs in the present tense do not change form according to the subject. Spiser is the present tense of å spise ("to eat") and remains the same regardless of who is performing the action. Therefore, Jeg spiser translates to both I eat and I am eating.

Why does the noun "brød" not appear with a definite article like "restauranten"?

Brød is often used as an uncountable noun in Norwegian when referring to bread in general. When speaking in a general sense, the indefinite form is used without a definite article. If you were referring to a specific bread (for example, a particular loaf), you might use the definite form brødet to mean the bread.