Blomsten faller på teppet, men den ser fortsatt frisk ut.

The flower falls on the carpet, but it still looks fresh.

Breakdown of Blomsten faller på teppet, men den ser fortsatt frisk ut.

• men: but
• den: it
• fortsatt: still
• på: on
• se ut: to look
• frisk: fresh
• falle: to fall
• teppet: the carpet
• blomsten: the flower

Questions & Answers about Blomsten faller på teppet, men den ser fortsatt frisk ut.

Why does blomsten end with -en?

In Norwegian, the definite article is suffixed to the noun. For a common-gender noun (an “en-word”), you add -en:

• blomst (a flower) → blomsten (the flower)
  For a neuter noun (an “et-word”), you add -et:
• teppe (a carpet) → teppet (the carpet)

Why is the verb faller in present tense? Does it mean the action is happening right now?

Norwegian uses the simple present for both habitual and ongoing actions. So blomsten faller can mean “the flower is falling” right now or generally “the flower falls.” If you want to stress that it’s in progress, you can say:
• blomsten holder på å falle (“the flower is in the process of falling”).

Why is the preposition på used in på teppet? Could you say i teppet or add ned?

• på covers “on” or “onto.”
• faller på teppet naturally means “falls onto the carpet.”
• Adding ned (“down”): faller ned på teppet is also correct, but ned is optional because falle already implies downward motion.
• i teppet would mean “in the carpet,” which isn’t appropriate here.

How does the conjunction men affect word order in this sentence?

men is a coordinating conjunction (“but”). It does not send the verb to the end: you keep Subject–Verb–Object (SVO) order. Hence:
men den ser fortsatt frisk ut
(not men ser den fortsatt frisk ut).

Why is the pronoun den used, and could we use det, han, hun, or drop it entirely?

• den is the third-person singular pronoun for common-gender nouns like blomst.
• det is for neuter nouns.
• han/ hun are for people or animals, not inanimate objects.
• In Norwegian main clauses, you normally cannot omit the subject pronoun, so you must keep den.

What does fortsatt mean, and why is it placed before frisk?

fortsatt means still or yet. It’s an adverb modifying the adjective frisk, so it precedes the adjective: fortsatt frisk (“still fresh/healthy”).

What is se ut, and why is ut at the end of the clause?

se ut (“to look” or “to appear”) is a two-word verb. The finite verb (ser) comes first, then the complement, then the particle (ut). You must keep that order:
ser … ut
e.g. ser fortsatt frisk ut

What’s the difference between frisk and fersk, and why is frisk used here?

• frisk = “healthy,” “in good condition” (of living things).
• fersk = “fresh,” “just made/harvested” (mostly of food or new objects).
A fallen flower can still look frisk (healthy) but is not fersk (new).

Could you rephrase or shorten this sentence in Norwegian?

You cannot drop the subject den in a main clause. However, you can:
• Use a synonym:
– … men den virker fortsatt frisk.
– … men den ser fortsatt levende ut.
• Turn it into a subordinate clause:
– Selv om blomsten faller på teppet, ser den fortsatt frisk ut.

All alternatives keep proper Norwegian word order and subject-verb agreement.