Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg fanger øyeblikket med kameraet.

In Norwegian, the definite form of a neuter noun is made by adding -et to its indefinite form. Here, øyeblikk means moment, and øyeblikket means the moment.

Why is kameraet spelled with -et, and when do you use it?

kamera is also a neuter noun. The indefinite form is et kamera (a camera). To say the camera, you add -et, giving kameraet.

What does med mean in this sentence, and why is it used?

med translates as with and introduces the instrument or tool used for the action. So med kameraet means with the camera.

Is fanger the present tense of fange? How is it conjugated?

Yes. fange means to catch or to capture. In present tense, it’s the same for all persons:
jeg fanger,
du fanger,
han/hun fanger,
vi fanger, etc.

Can you use et øyeblikk instead of øyeblikket, and what’s the difference?

Yes. et øyeblikk is a moment (indefinite), whereas øyeblikket is the moment (definite). The choice changes whether you refer to any moment or a specific one.

Could I say Jeg tar bildet med kameraet instead of Jeg fanger øyeblikket med kameraet?

Absolutely. Jeg tar bildet med kameraet means I take the picture with the camera. Saying fange øyeblikket instead of ta bildet emphasizes capturing the mood or essence of that specific moment, not just snapping a photo.

Can you move med kameraet to the front—Med kameraet fanger jeg øyeblikket?

Yes. Norwegian allows topicalization, so placing med kameraet first adds emphasis on the instrument. Both orders are grammatically correct, but the default is SVO (Subject-Verb-Object).

How do you pronounce øyeblikket correctly?

øy sounds like the “oi” in oil. Then blik-ket follows:
“øy” = /øy/,
“blikk” has a long, hard k because of the double k,
“et” at the end is a short /ə/.
Put together: /ˈøyəˌblɪkːə/.