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Questions & Answers about Forbindelsen er dårlig i dag.
Why isn’t there a separate word for the before forbindelsen?
Because Norwegian marks definiteness with a suffix rather than a separate article.
- forbindelse = “a connection” (indefinite)
- forbindelsen = “the connection” (definite)
The -en ending on forbindelsen already means the.
How do you form the indefinite and definite forms of feminine nouns like forbindelse?
In Bokmål many feminine nouns follow this pattern:
• Indefinite singular: en forbindelse (“a connection”)
• Definite singular: forbindelsen (“the connection”)
Here en is the indefinite article and -en on the noun is the definite suffix.
Why is i dag written as two words and not one?
Modern standard Norwegian spells i dag (“today”) as two separate words.
- Older or dialectal texts sometimes used idag, but the official orthography requires i dag.
What is the word order in Forbindelsen er dårlig i dag, and why is dårlig after er?
Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 (verb-second) rule:
- Subject (Forbindelsen)
- Finite verb (er)
- Predicate/adverbial (dårlig i dag)
Adjectives used predicatively (after er) are uninflected, so dårlig stays the same for all genders and numbers.
Can I drop er and just say Dårlig forbindelse i dag?
Yes, in informal contexts or headlines you’ll often see the verb omitted:
- Dårlig forbindelse i dag.
This is understood as a clipped form of (Det er) dårlig forbindelse i dag, but in full sentences you normally include er.
Is there a difference between forbindelse and tilkobling?
Both can translate as “connection,” but they have different nuances:
- forbindelse is more general (phone line, internet link, transport link).
- tilkobling focuses on the act or interface of connecting (device hookup, electrical connection).
In everyday talk about networks or calls, forbindelse is the more common choice.
How do I pronounce forbindelsen?
Approximate Bokmål pronunciation in IPA: /fɔrˈbɪnːəl.sən/
• Stress on the second syllable: for-BINN-e-lsen
• Double n signals a long /n/ sound.