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Brillene ligger på bordet.

Brillene ligger på bordet.
The glasses are on the table.
FromLesson 13inHardcore Norwegian
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Breakdown of Brillene ligger på bordet.

på
on
bordet
the table
ligge
to lie
brillene
the glasses
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Questions & Answers about Brillene ligger på bordet.

Why is it brillene instead of briller?

Brillene is the definite plural form of briller (glasses). In Norwegian you indicate definiteness by adding a suffix to the noun rather than placing a separate word like “the” in front. For most plural nouns you add -ne, so:

  • briller = glasses (indefinite)
  • brillene = the glasses (definite)
Why is briller always plural?
Briller is a plurale tantum in Norwegian, meaning it only exists in the plural form when referring to eyeglasses. If you really need the singular idea, you’d say et par briller (a pair of glasses), but you never say en brille.
Why aren’t there separate words for “the” before brillene or bordet?
Norwegian uses post-positive articles attached as suffixes to the noun. Instead of saying the table, you adjust bord (table) to bordet. Similarly, briller becomes brillene.
What’s the difference between ligger and legger?
  • ligge (ligger) = to lie, to be located (intransitive)
  • legge (legger) = to lay, to put something down (transitive)
    Here the glasses are simply lying on the table (location), so you use ligger. If you were placing them there, you might say Jeg legger brillene på bordet.
What tense is ligger, and what does it convey here?
Ligger is the present tense of ligge. In this context it describes a current state or location: “are lying” or “are located.”
Why is bordet spelled with -et at the end?

Bord is a neuter noun in Norwegian, and the definite singular form of most neuter nouns takes -et. So:

  • et bord = a table (indefinite singular)
  • bordet = the table (definite singular)
Why is the preposition på used? Could you use i?
På means “on” or “on top of” in this physical sense. If something is inside, you’d use i (“in”), but since the glasses rest on the surface, på bordet = on the table.
Can I say På bordet ligger brillene instead, to emphasize the location?

Yes. Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule (verb second). By fronting the adverbial på bordet, you invert the subject and verb:
På bordet ligger brillene.
This puts emphasis on “on the table.”

Why not use står (to stand) instead of ligger?

In Norwegian, you choose the verb based on the object’s position:

  • ligge = to lie (flat/horizontal)
  • stå = to stand (upright/vertical)
    Since glasses lie flat, you use ligger.
How would I say “my glasses are on the table”?

You insert the possessive mine after the noun:
Brillene mine ligger på bordet.
Word order: noun + possessive, then verb + prepositional phrase.