Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Det er lang kø foran billettautomaten i dag. - There is a long queue in front of the ticket machine today.

In existential clauses introduced by Det er (“there is/are”), Norwegian often omits the indefinite article when presenting something new or non-specific.

You could say Det er en lang kø (“There is a long queue”), but dropping en gives you Det er lang kø, which is shorter and very common in everyday speech.

Why is the adjective lang not inflected as lange?

Because lang kø is an indefinite singular noun phrase with a common-gender noun (en kø). In the positive form:

Indefinite singular (en-words) → no -e on the adjective: lang kø
Definite singular or any plural → add -e: den lange køen, lange køer

What does billettautomaten consist of, and why the -en ending?

billettautomaten is the definite singular form of billettautomat (“ticket machine”). Break it down:

billett = ticket
automat = machine
Put them together → billettautomat (“ticket machine”), then add the definite ending -en → billettautomaten = “the ticket machine.”
Forms:
• Indef. sg.: en billettautomat
• Def. sg.: billettautomaten
• Indef. pl.: billettautomater
• Def. pl.: billettautomatene

What does foran mean, and how is it used here?

foran is a preposition meaning in front of. It indicates that something is located ahead of or before another object. In the sentence, foran billettautomaten = “in front of the ticket machine.”

Why is i dag two words, and what role does it play?

i dag = today. In both Bokmål and Nynorsk it’s always two words (unlike Swedish idag). Here it’s a time adverbial telling us when there’s a long queue. You can place it at the end (…i dag) or front it:
I dag er det lang kø foran billettautomaten.

Why do we use Det er instead of Det står or Det ligger?

In English existential clauses we say “there is/are,” and in Norwegian that’s almost always Det er. While Det står (“there stands…”) or Det ligger (“there lies…”) exist, they’re used with objects that physically stand or lie. For a queue or crowd, Det er is the standard choice.

How do you pronounce the ø in kø, and what sound is it?

The letter ø is like the vowel in French peur or German schön, somewhat like the English “bird” (without the final r). To approximate:

Start with an “eh” sound as in “bed.”
Round your lips as if saying “oh.”
Result: kø [køː].

What is the plural form of kø, and how would you say “long queues”?

kø is a common-gender noun.

Indefinite plural: køer
Definite plural: køene
So “long queues” = lange køer, and “the long queues” = de lange køene.

Can I move the time adverb i dag to the beginning of the sentence?

Yes. Norwegian allows you to front a time expression. You get:
I dag er det lang kø foran billettautomaten.
Notice the verb er stays in second position, then comes the rest of the sentence.