Jeg tar bilder av lavvannet.

I take pictures of the low tide.

Breakdown of Jeg tar bilder av lavvannet.

• jeg: I
• av: of
• ta: to take
• bildet: the picture
• lavvannet: the low tide

Questions & Answers about Jeg tar bilder av lavvannet.

What does tar mean in the sentence Jeg tar bilder av lavvannet?

Tar is the present-tense form of the irregular verb å ta, meaning to take. So Jeg tar bilder... literally means I take pictures or I’m taking pictures.

Why do we use av after bilder?

In Norwegian, when you describe what you photograph, the fixed construction is ta bilder av noe—literally take pictures of something. The preposition av corresponds to English of in this context.

What’s the difference between bilde av and bilde på?

• et bilde av noe = a picture of something (what the photo shows).
• å være på bildet = to be in/on the picture (to appear in it).
  So you tar bilder av lavvannet (you photograph the low tide), but you er på bildet if you yourself appear in the shot.

What is lavvannet, and why does it end in -et?

Lavvannet is the definite singular of lavvann (literally low water, used for low tide).

• Vann is a neuter noun; its definite singular ending is -et, so vannet = the water.
• Combined with lav (low) you get lavvann, and adding -et yields lavvannet = the low tide.

Why is lavvannet written as one word and with a double v?

Norwegian forms compound nouns by joining words together.

• lav (ending in v) + vann (starting in v) merge into lavvann—you keep both v letters (hence vv).
• The definite suffix -et attaches to the end, giving lavvannet.

How do you form the plural of bilde, and why is there no article before bilder?

• Bilde (a picture) is a neuter noun; its indefinite plural takes -r, giving bilder = pictures.
• In Norwegian, indefinite plural nouns don’t take an article. Saying Jeg tar bilder simply means I take pictures (some pictures).

Where does the stress fall in lavvannet?

In most Norwegian compounds the main stress is on the first element. So you say LAV-vannet (stress on lav), unlike English low-TIDE where the stress is on the second element.

What is the word order in Jeg tar bilder av lavvannet?

It follows the common SVO + PP pattern:

• Subject: Jeg
• Verb: tar
• Object: bilder
• Prepositional phrase: av lavvannet

How would you turn this sentence into a question?

Invert the subject and verb:
Tar du bilder av lavvannet? = Are you taking pictures of the low tide?

Can I use a synonym for ta bilder, like fotografere?

Yes. You could say Jeg fotograferer lavvannet, which is more formal. Fotografere means to photograph, whereas ta bilder av is the more everyday expression.