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Katten sover på vinduskarmen.

Katten sover på vinduskarmen.
The cat sleeps on the windowsill.

Breakdown of Katten sover på vinduskarmen.

sove
to sleep
på
on
katten
the cat
vinduskarmen
the windowsill
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Questions & Answers about Katten sover på vinduskarmen.

Why is there no separate word for “the” before katten?

In Norwegian, the definite article is suffixed to the noun rather than placed before it.

  • katten = “the cat.”
  • If you wanted “a cat,” you’d use the indefinite form en katt (“a cat”).
What gender is katt, and how do I know?

Katt is a common‐gender noun (sometimes called “masculine/feminine” or just “common” in Bokmål). Most common-gender nouns take the indefinite article en and add -en in the definite singular:

  • Indefinite: en katt (“a cat”)
  • Definite: katten (“the cat”)
Why is the sentence word order Katten sover på vinduskarmen (subject–verb–place)? Can it change?

The basic Norwegian declarative word order is SVO (Subject–Verb–Object/Adverbial). Here, på vinduskarmen is a place adverbial. You can front it for emphasis:

  • På vinduskarmen sover katten. (“On the windowsill the cat sleeps.”)
    But the neutral order is Katten sover på vinduskarmen.
Why is på used here, and does it always mean “on”?

På commonly translates as “on,” “at,” or “in,” depending on context:

  • på bordet = “on the table”
  • på skolen = “at school”
  • på radio = “on the radio”
    In this sentence, på vinduskarmen means “on the windowsill.”
Why is vinduskarmen one word instead of two?

Norwegian often forms compound nouns by joining words without spaces. Here:

  • vindu (“window”) + karm (“frame/sill”) → vinduskarm (“windowsill”)
    Then you add -en to make it definite: vinduskarmen (“the windowsill”).
Could I say vinduets karm instead of vinduskarmen?
Yes. vinduets karm is the genitive form (“the window’s sill”) and is grammatically correct, though vinduskarmen is more common in everyday speech.
What is the literal breakdown of vinduskarmen?
  1. vindu = “window”
  2. karm = “frame,” “sill,” or “ledge”
  3. -en = definite singular ending
    Put together: vindu-karm-en → vinduskarmen (“the windowsill”).
Are there any pronunciation tips for vinduskarmen?
  • Stress the first syllable: VIN-du-skar-men.
  • The u in vindu sounds like the oo in “book.”
  • The r in karmen is a tapped or rolled Norwegian r, not silent.