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Questions & Answers about Kafeen i kvartalet er koselig.
What is kafeen, and how is it formed?
Kafeen is the definite singular form of kafé, meaning the café. In Norwegian you form the definite singular by adding a suffix to the noun: for most masculine nouns you add -en, for neuter nouns -et, and for feminine nouns -a (or -en in some dialects). Here kafé behaves like a masculine noun, so kafé → kafe + -en = kafeen.
Why do we use the definite form kafeen rather than an indefinite form?
Because the sentence refers to one specific café – the café in the block – so we need the definite form. In English you’d say the café, not a café.
How is kvartalet formed, and what is its base form?
Kvartalet is the definite singular form of kvartal, which means a block or a quarter (as in a city block). Kvartal is a neuter noun, so you add -et: kvartal + -et = kvartalet (“the block”).
What does i kvartalet mean, and why use i instead of another preposition?
I kvartalet means in the block or inside the block. I is the standard preposition for being within something. You’d use på (“on”) for surfaces (e.g. på bordet = “on the table”), but for being inside a block or neighborhood you say i kvartalet.
What does koselig mean, and are there close English equivalents?
Koselig describes something warm, comfortable, or charming. Closest English equivalents are cozy, snug, pleasant, or homey, depending on context.
Why is koselig not inflected with -e or -t here?
As a predicate adjective (located after the verb er), koselig remains in its base (indefinite) form without extra endings. If you place it before a definite noun (e.g. den koselige kafeen), you would add -e to agree with the definite noun.
What is the word order in Kafeen i kvartalet er koselig?
It follows the standard Norwegian main-clause order: Subject (Kafeen i kvartalet) + Verb (er) + Predicate Adjective (koselig). The prepositional phrase i kvartalet sits right after the subject.
How do you say the cozy café in the block in Norwegian, with cozy before café?
You say den koselige kafeen i kvartalet. Here den is the demonstrative pronoun for a definite noun, and koselig takes -e (→ koselige) because it modifies the definite noun kafeen.