Question 1

What does the suffix -en in planten signify, and how does it affect the meaning?

Accepted Answer

In Norwegian, adding -en to a noun makes it definite singular. So plante (a plant) becomes planten (the plant). You use the definite form when you’re talking about a specific plant already known to the listener or mentioned earlier.

Question 2

When should I use en plante instead of planten, and vice versa?

Accepted Answer

Use en plante (an indefinite noun) when introducing a plant for the first time or speaking generically:
  • En plante vokser raskt. (A plant grows quickly.)  
Once you’ve introduced it or refer to a particular plant, switch to the definite:
  • Planten vokser raskt hver dag. (The plant grows quickly every day.)

Question 3

How do we form the present tense of å vokse, and is it a regular verb?

Accepted Answer

Vokser is the present-tense form of å vokse (to grow). Like most Norwegian verbs, you simply add -r to the infinitive:
  • infinitive: å vokse  
  • present: vokser  
It’s a regular verb following the standard conjugation pattern.

Question 4

What part of speech is raskt, and why does it end in -t?

Accepted Answer

Raskt is an adverb meaning “quickly.” In Norwegian, you often form adverbs from adjectives by adding -t (if the adjective ends in a consonant). Here:
  • rask (adjective “fast”) → raskt (adverb “quickly”)

Question 5

Why does the clause når solen skinner keep the verb right after the subject, unlike in German?

Accepted Answer

Norwegian subordinate clauses (those introduced by når, fordi, at, etc.) use normal subject–verb–object (SVO) word order. So after når you say solen (subject) then skinner (verb). German, by contrast, pushes the verb to the end in subordinate clauses, but Norwegian does not.

Question 6

What’s the difference between når and da when translating “when” into Norwegian?

Accepted Answer

• når is used for general, habitual, or future events:  
    – Når solen skinner, føler jeg meg glad.  
    (Whenever the sun shines, I feel happy.)  
  • da refers to a single, completed event in the past:  
    – Da solen skinte i går, tok jeg bilder.  
    (When the sun shone yesterday, I took pictures.)

Question 7

Can I replace når with om in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Om can mean “if/when” in future contexts (e.g., Om det regner i morgen… “If/when it rains tomorrow…”). However, for general or habitual time clauses like når solen skinner, you should use når, not om.

Question 8

Why can’t I say Planten raskt vokser når solen skinner or Raskt vokser planten…?

Accepted Answer

Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb (here vokser) must be the second element in the sentence. If you start with the subject (Planten), the verb must come immediately after. Inserting raskt before vokser would break that rule.

Question 9

How do you pronounce the o in vokser and solen?

Accepted Answer

In both words, o is pronounced like [ʊ] (similar to the “u” in English “put”):
  • vokser → [ˈvʊk­sər]  
  • solen → [ˈsuː­lən]  
The final -er often reduces to a schwa [ər].

Planten vokser raskt når solen skinner.

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