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Questions & Answers about Katten og hunden passer bra sammen.
What does passer bra sammen mean in this sentence?
It means that the cat and the dog get along well together. The verb passer (from å passe) can be understood as “fits” or “suits,” bra means “well,” and sammen means “together.” So the whole phrase expresses that the two animals are compatible or have a good relationship.
Why are the nouns written as katten and hunden instead of using a separate word for “the”?
In Norwegian the definite form of a noun is shown by adding a suffix to the word rather than using a separate article. Here, katt becomes katten (the cat) and hund becomes hunden (the dog), which is different from the English structure where “the” is placed before the noun.
Why is sammen placed at the end of the sentence?
Sammen means “together” and its placement at the end is common in Norwegian sentence construction, especially in fixed expressions. Ending with sammen emphasizes the idea that the compatibility applies mutually to both the cat and the dog.
What is the role of the verb passer in this sentence?
Passer is the present tense form of the verb å passe, which means “to fit,” “to suit,” or “to get along.” In the sentence, it functions as the main verb that connects the compound subject (katten og hunden) with the adverbial phrase (bra sammen), describing how well the two animals complement each other.
How does the phrase katten og hunden compare to the English “the cat and the dog”?
The meaning is the same, but the structure differs. In English, “the” is an independent word placed before each noun. In Norwegian, definiteness is shown by adding a suffix to the noun—katt becomes katten, and hund becomes hunden—and the two are combined with og (meaning “and”) just like in English.
Are there alternative expressions in Norwegian to say that the cat and the dog get along well?
Yes, another common expression is kommer godt overens. For example, you might also say, Katten og hunden kommer godt overens, which effectively means that the cat and the dog have a good, harmonious relationship.