Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Lunsjboksen fylles med frukt før skoletimen begynner. - The lunchbox is filled with fruit before the class period starts.

Lunsjboksen is the definite singular form of lunsjboks (“lunch box”). Norwegian often creates compounds by joining nouns: lunsj (“lunch”) + boks (“box”) → lunsjboks. Adding -en at the end marks the definite: lunsjboksen = “the lunch box.”

Why is fylles used here and what does it mean?

Fylles is the passive voice of fylle (“to fill”), formed by adding -s to the infinitive. This s-passive construction corresponds to English “is filled.” It lets you focus on the action (the box being filled) without naming who does it.

Could I instead say blir fylt med frukt? What’s the difference?

Yes, you can use the periphrastic passive blir fylt (“is being filled”). Both are correct, but the s-passive (fylles) is more common in everyday Norwegian. Blir fylt feels slightly more formal or emphatic about the process.

Why is med frukt used, and why is frukt without an article?

Med means “with,” and when you talk about an unspecified quantity of a mass noun (like fruit), you use the bare noun without an article. So med frukt simply means “with fruit” in general, not “with the fruit” or “with some fruit.”

Why does begynner (begins) appear at the end of the clause før skoletimen begynner?

Because før (“before”) introduces a subordinate clause. In Norwegian subordinate clauses the finite verb moves to the end. Hence før skoletimen begynner = “before the school lesson begins.”

Why is it skoletimen (the school lesson) and not en skoletime (a school lesson)?

Here it’s referring to a specific, known lesson (e.g. the next class), so you use the definite form skoletimen. If you meant “before a lesson” in general, you’d say før en skoletime begynner.

Should there be a comma before før in this sentence?

No, Norwegian does not require a comma before a subordinate clause introduced by før when it follows the main clause. It’s perfectly normal to write it without a comma.