Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Skoletimen er viktig for alle barn. - The class period is important for all children.

Skoletimen is a compound noun from skole (school) + time (lesson/hour), plus the definite singular suffix -en. It literally means the school lesson.

Why is there a suffix -en instead of a separate word for “the”?

In Norwegian, the definite article for singular common nouns is attached to the end of the noun: en plass (a place) → plassen (the place). Here, skoletime (a school lesson) becomes skoletimen (the school lesson).

Why is er used in this sentence?

Er is the present tense of the verb å være (to be) in the third person singular. It’s used like English is to link the subject to its description.

Why is viktig placed after er, and why doesn’t it take an ending?

Here viktig (important) functions as a predicative adjective, which comes after the verb er and remains in its base form. If you use an adjective before a noun (attributive), it may get an ending depending on gender, number and definiteness (e.g., en viktig skoletime, den viktige skoletimen).

Why is for used instead of til in viktig for alle barn?

In Norwegian, viktig for is the standard way to say “important for” someone. Til is used more for direction or purpose, like bok til deg (a book for you).

Why is barn unchanged in the plural after alle?

Barn is an irregular neuter noun that has the same form in singular and plural indefinite (one child = barn, two children = barn). To make it definite plural you add -a → barna.

Could we say alle barna instead of alle barn? What’s the difference?

Yes. Alle barna emphasizes a specific, known group of children (the children). Alle barn is more general (all children in general).

How is the compound skoletime formed, and why is there a linking -t-?

When you combine skole and time, you often insert a linking consonant -t- to make pronunciation smoother: skole + time → skoletime. This is common in Norwegian compounds.