Jeg noterer nummeret i notatboken.

I note the number in the notebook.

Breakdown of Jeg noterer nummeret i notatboken.

• jeg: I
• i: in
• notere: to note
• notatboken: the notebook
• nummeret: the number

Questions & Answers about Jeg noterer nummeret i notatboken.

Why is noterer used here, and how is it formed?

Noterer is the present tense of the verb å notere (“to note” or “to note down”). In Bokmål, regular -ere verbs form the present by dropping -re to get the stem (noter-) and adding -er, giving noterer = “I note” or “I am noting.”

Why is nummeret used instead of nummer?

Nummeret is the definite singular form of nummer (“number”). Adding -et marks it as “the number,” indicating you’re referring to a specific number you already have.

Why is the preposition i used in i notatboken?

When you write something inside a notebook in Norwegian, you use i (meaning “in”) plus the definite form of the noun. So i notatboken literally means “in the notebook.” You could also say i min notatbok to specify “in my notebook.”

How do you form the definite singular of notatbok, and why is it notatboken rather than notatboket?

Notatbok is a common‐gender (utrum) noun in Bokmål. Common nouns take the ending -en in the definite singular, so you get notatboken. Neuter nouns would take -et, but notatbok is not neuter.

What word order rule places noterer immediately after jeg?

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be the second element. Here Jeg (subject) is first, so noterer (the finite verb) comes second, followed by nummeret i notatboken.

Could you rephrase the sentence using skrive ned instead of notere?

Yes. A common alternative is:
Jeg skriver nummeret ned i notatboken.
Here skriver ned means “write down,” and you place ned right after the object nummeret.

Is notatbok treated as masculine or feminine, and does that affect the ending?

In Bokmål, notatbok is common gender, which combines masculine and feminine. You can use either the masculine/feminine -en ending (notatboken) or the feminine dialectal -a ending (notatboka) in informal speech.

Can you say i notatboka instead of i notatboken, and what’s the difference?

Yes. I notatboka uses the feminine ending -a. It’s more dialectal or informal but perfectly acceptable. Meaning stays the same: “in the notebook.”