Breakdown of Annas hjelm er grønnere enn min.
være
to be
hjelmen
the helmet
enn
than
min
mine
Annas
Anna’s
grønn
green
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Questions & Answers about Annas hjelm er grønnere enn min.
Why is possession shown by Annas instead of using til Anna or Anna sin?
In Norwegian, you most often form the genitive with -s directly on the owner’s name (just like English). So Annas hjelm means “Anna’s helmet.” You can say hjelmen til Anna (“the helmet of Anna”) for emphasis or style, but Anna sin hjelm is non-standard in Bokmål (it’s more a dialect/vernacular feature).
Why isn’t there an article (like en or den) before hjelm?
Because Annas hjelm is already definite. The -s genitive ending makes the noun definite without needing den. If you said en hjelm (a helmet) or hjelmen (the helmet), those would need an article or a definite ending, but genitive absorbs that.
How does grønnere relate to grønn? Why not mer grønn?
Grønnere is the regular comparative of the adjective grønn (“green”). Short adjectives in Norwegian form the comparative with -ere (grønn → grønnere). You could say mer grønn when the adjective is long or borrowed (e.g. mer interessant), but not with short, native adjectives like grønn.
What is the function of enn in this sentence?
Enn is the comparative conjunction meaning “than.” You always use enn after a comparative adjective or adverb. So grønnere enn min literally “greener than mine.”
Why is it min and not mitt at the end?
Possessive pronouns agree in gender with the noun they replace. Hjelm is a common‐gender noun (en‐word), so you use min (common singular). Mitt is for neuter nouns (et‐words).
Why can you omit hjelm after min?
This is an ellipsis: Norwegian often drops the repeated noun when context makes it obvious. Min stands for min hjelm (“my helmet”), so there’s no need to repeat hjelm.
Could we say hans hjelm instead of Annas hjelm?
Yes, if you wanted to say “his helmet.” You would write Hans hjelm er grønnere enn min. Note that hans is a possessive pronoun (like min), not a genitive -s form.
How do you pronounce grønnere?
It’s roughly [ˈɡrœnːəɾə]:
- grønn has a rounded front vowel [œ] like French œuf.
- Double nn means a long [nː].
- The ending -ere is [əɾə], with a tapped r often.