Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Barnet leker i badekaret mens moren vasker klær. - The child plays in the bathtub while the mother washes clothes.

In Norwegian you form the definite singular by adding a suffix to the noun. Barn means “child” (indefinite). Because barn is a neuter noun, you add -et to get barnet, which means “the child.”

What is the difference between badekar and badekaret?

Same rule applies: badekar means “a bathtub” (indefinite). To say “the bathtub,” you add the neuter definite ending -et, giving badekaret. If you wanted to say “in a bathtub,” you’d use i et badekar.

Why does klær have no ending, and when would you use klærne?

Klær (“clothes”) is a plural noun. For indefinite plural you use the bare form klær. To make it definite plural (“the clothes”), you add -ne, giving klærne.

Why is moren spelled with -en rather than -a or left as mor?

Mor is a common-gender noun. In Bokmål the usual definite form is mor + en = moren. Some dialects or Nynorsk use mora, but in standard everyday Bokmål moren is most common.

What tense are leker and vasker, and how do you express the continuous (“is playing”) in Norwegian?

Both leker and vasker are simple present tense forms. Norwegian does not have a separate continuous aspect like English “is playing.” Simple present covers both “plays” and “is playing,” so barnet leker can mean “the child is playing.”

What does mens mean, and how does it affect the word order?

Mens means “while,” indicating two actions happening simultaneously. It is a coordinating conjunction, so it does not send the verb to the end. You keep normal V2 word order (Subject-Verb-Object) after mens.

What’s the difference between mens and når?

Mens ≈ “while” (emphasizes continuous, simultaneous actions). Når ≈ “when,” used for points in time, general conditions, or repeated events. Here we describe two ongoing actions at the same time, so mens is more natural than når.