Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Tom glemmer solkremen, og huden hans blir rødere enn min. - Tom forgets the sunscreen, and his skin becomes redder than mine.

In Norwegian you form a definite noun by adding a suffix. For masculine/feminine nouns like solkrem, you add -en to get solkremen, meaning the sunscreen. We use the definite form here because the sentence refers to that specific sunscreen Tom should have applied.

Why do we say huden hans instead of hans hud?

Both patterns exist. Huden hans uses the definite noun huden (the skin) followed by the possessor hans. This construction is common with body parts or clothing when talking about a specific item. Hans hud (indefinite noun + possessor) is also grammatically correct but sounds more neutral.

When should I use sin instead of hans for his?

Use the reflexive possessive sin when the possessor refers back to the subject of the clause. For example:
Tom glemmer solkremen, og huden sin blir rødere enn min.
Here sin clearly refers back to Tom. You use hans when the possessor is a different person or when you want to avoid ambiguity.

Why is the comparative rødere formed with the suffix -ere and not with mer rød?

One-syllable adjectives in Norwegian form the comparative by adding -ere (for example, rød → rødere). Adjectives of two or more syllables usually use mer + adjective (for example, interessant → mer interessant).

Why does the sentence use enn min instead of enn meg or enn jeg?

Here min is a possessive pronoun standing for min hud (my skin). We are comparing skin color, not the people themselves. Saying enn meg would mean “more red than me,” and enn jeg would mean “more red than I (am)” – neither focuses on skin. To compare skin color correctly, you need the possessive.

Why is there a comma before og?

Norwegian punctuation often places a comma between two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction like og. Since Tom glemmer solkremen and huden hans blir rødere enn min each have their own subject and verb, a comma clarifies the separation. In informal writing it can sometimes be omitted, but it’s common practice.

Why does the clause after og keep the normal SVO word order?

Og is a coordinating conjunction, so what follows is another main clause and uses the standard subject–verb–object order. That’s why you have huden hans (subject) blir (verb) rødere (object complement).

Why is the present tense glemmer used instead of the past tense glemte?

This is the narrative present, used to describe past or habitual events as if they’re happening now. It makes the description more vivid. If you wanted a straightforward past narration, you could say Tom glemte solkremen, og huden hans ble rødere enn min.

Why is the noun omitted after min in rødere enn min?

Norwegian allows an ellipsis when the noun is clear from context. Min here refers back to hud, so you don’t have to repeat hud: it’s understood as rødere enn min (hud).

Can you explicitly say rødere enn min hud instead of just rødere enn min? Would it change the meaning?

Yes. You could write og huden hans blir rødere enn min hud. It’s more explicit, but the meaning stays exactly the same. Dropping hud is simply a concise choice when the context is clear.

Could you replace og with så here? What difference would that make?

Yes. Så emphasizes cause and effect:
Tom glemmer solkremen, så huden hans blir rødere enn min.
Using og simply links two facts and is more neutral, while så highlights that forgetting the sunscreen causes the redness.