Sikkerheten er viktig nå.

Security is important now.

Breakdown of Sikkerheten er viktig nå.

• være: to be
• nå: now
• viktig: important
• sikkerheten: the security

Questions & Answers about Sikkerheten er viktig nå.

Why does sikkerheten end with -en, whereas we often see sikkerhet without it?

The ending -en is the definite article suffix in Norwegian for common‐gender nouns.
• sikkerhet = “security/safety” (indefinite, general)
• sikkerheten = “the security/the safety” (definite, specific)

Here you’re talking about a particular situation (“security now”), so you use the definite form.

What gender is sikkerhet, and how do I know?

sikkerhet is a common‐gender noun (marked as en in dictionaries). In indefinite singular you normally just say sikkerhet (“security in general”). If you need “a security” or “a safeguard” you can say en sikkerhet, but for abstract ideas it’s often dropped.

Why is the adjective viktig not inflected to viktige or viktigere here?

After a linking verb like er (“is”), adjectives are in predicative position and remain in their base form:
• Predicative: Sikkerheten er viktig. (“The security is important.”)
By contrast, attributive adjectives (before a noun) do inflect:
• Attributive: et viktig tiltak (“an important measure”)

Can I move nå (“now”) to the front? How does that affect word order?

Yes. Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule (one element + verb in second position).

Original (subject first):
• Sikkerheten (1) + er (2) + viktig + nå.

If you start with nå (adverb first), the verb must stay second and the subject follows:
• Nå (1) + er (2) + sikkerheten + viktig.

Both mean “Now security is important.”

How do I pronounce sikkerheten, viktig, and nå?

Simple approximations:
• sikkerheten = SIK-ker-HEHT-en (stress on first syllable; double kk = hard /k/)
• viktig = VIK-tig (final -ig sounds like /ɪk/)
• nå = [nɔː] (similar to English “naw” but with a long vowel)

Are there alternative ways to express “Security is important now” in Norwegian?

Yes, for example:
• Det er viktig med sikkerhet nå. (“It is important with security now.”)
• Nå må vi prioritere sikkerheten. (“Now we must prioritize security.”)
Each version shifts the focus slightly or adds a different nuance, but all convey the core idea.