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Questions & Answers about Barna vokser.
What does the form barna indicate about the noun barn in this sentence?
Barna is the definite plural form of barn, meaning "the children." In Norwegian, definiteness is expressed by adding a suffix to the noun rather than using a separate word like "the."
What tense is the verb vokser in "Barna vokser."?
Vokser is in the present tense. It is the conjugated form of å vokse that is used to describe actions occurring now. Norwegian uses the simple present to cover both the simple present and the present continuous contexts of English.
Does the verb vokser change based on the subject in Norwegian?
No, vokser remains the same regardless of the subject. In Norwegian, verbs in the present tense do not change with different subjects, whether the subject is singular or plural.
Why is there no auxiliary verb (such as "are") before vokser in the Norwegian sentence, unlike in English?
Norwegian typically expresses current actions with a single verb form in the present tense, without needing an auxiliary verb. The meaning that in English is conveyed by "are growing" is fully captured by vokser in Norwegian.
How does the way definiteness is marked in barna differ from English expression of definiteness?
In Norwegian, definiteness is indicated by attaching a suffix directly to the noun (turning barn into barna for "the children"). In English, definiteness is expressed with a separate definite article, such as "the" placed before the noun.