Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Norwegian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Problemet er alvorlig.
Why does problemet end in -et?
In Norwegian Bokmål, definite singular neuter nouns take the suffix -et instead of using a separate word for the. Problem is a neuter noun, so problemet literally means the problem.
What is er and what role does it play in this sentence?
Er is the present‐tense form of the verb å være (to be). Here it functions as a linking verb—equivalent to English is—connecting the subject problemet to its predicate alvorlig.
Why is the adjective alvorlig not written as alvorligt?
When used predicatively (after a linking verb), adjectives in Bokmål are not inflected for gender or definiteness. So even though problemet is neuter and definite, the predicate adjective remains in its base form alvorlig.
How would you say a serious problem in Norwegian?
You would say et alvorlig problem. In attributive position (before the noun), neuter nouns take the indefinite article et, and most adjectives add -t for neuter indefinite (e.g., stort hus). However, adjectives ending in -lig (like alvorlig) do not change form, so it remains alvorlig.
How would you say the serious problem in Norwegian?
You say det alvorlige problemet. Here det is the neuter definite article used when an adjective precedes the noun. The adjective alvorlig takes an -e to agree with a definite noun, becoming alvorlige, and the noun keeps its -et suffix.
How do you form a question from this sentence?
By inverting the subject and verb: Er problemet alvorlig? This is the standard way to form yes/no questions in Norwegian.
Could you replace alvorlig with another word like seriøst?
Yes. Seriøst works the same way: as a predicate it stays uninflected—Problemet er seriøst. Attributively you’d say et seriøst problem and det seriøse problemet.
How is Problemet er alvorlig pronounced?
In IPA it’s roughly /pruˈbleːmət ər ˈɑlvɔʁli/. In an anglicized approximation:
PROO-bleh-met air AL-vor-lee
with the main stress on bleh in problemet and on AL in alvorlig.