Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Broen over elven blir midtpunktet for kveldens festival. - The bridge over the river becomes the centerpiece of tonight's festival.

blir is the present tense of å bli (“to become”). In this sentence it means “becomes” or “will be.” You use blir when talking about something turning into a role or state (or a scheduled future event). er simply states a current fact (“is”), whereas blir highlights the change or appointment to that role.

Why is broen used instead of en bro?

bro (“bridge”) is a common noun whose indefinite form is en bro (“a bridge”) and definite form is broen (“the bridge”). Here we talk about a specific bridge (the one over the river), so the definite broen is required.

What is the function of over elven, and can I use a relative clause instead?

over elven is a prepositional phrase (PP) modifying broen, identifying which bridge (“the bridge over the river”). You can indeed use a relative clause—broen som går over elven (“the bridge that goes over the river”)—but Norwegians often omit som går for brevity and simply say broen over elven.

Why is elven spelled with -en, and what about elva?

elv (“river”) has two acceptable definite forms in Bokmål: elven and elva. Both mean “the river.” Which one you choose often depends on dialect or personal preference; elven is very common in written Bokmål.

What does midtpunktet mean, and why does it end with -et?

midtpunktet comes from midtpunkt (“midpoint”/“centre”), a neuter noun. Its indefinite form is et midtpunkt, and its definite form is midtpunktet. The -et suffix marks the definite (“the centre”) because we’re referring to a specific focal point of the festival.

What is kveldens, and how is it formed?

kveldens is the genitive (possessive) of kvelden (“the evening”). You form the genitive of a definite noun in Norwegian by adding -s: kvelden → kveldens (“the evening’s”). Thus kveldens festival literally means “the evening’s festival,” i.e. “tonight’s festival.”

Why do we use for in midtpunktet for kveldens festival? Could we use av or i?

To express “centre for something,” Norwegian uses the preposition for. Saying midtpunktet av kveldens festival or midtpunktet i kveldens festival would be unidiomatic or change the nuance. for indicates a relationship or purpose: “centre for tonight’s festival.”

Is it possible to say Broen blir midtpunktet for kveldens festival over elven by moving over elven to the end?

No. The PP over elven modifies broen, so it must immediately follow that noun. Placing it at the end would risk it being interpreted as modifying festival or the verb. The clear, idiomatic order is:
Subject: Broen over elven
Predicate: blir midtpunktet
Object: for kveldens festival

Could I replace blir with skal være or kommer til å bli to emphasize the future?

Yes. Norwegian often uses alternative constructions for future emphasis:

skal være (“shall/be going to be”):
Broen over elven skal være midtpunktet for kveldens festival.
kommer til å bli (“is going to become”):
Broen over elven kommer til å bli midtpunktet for kveldens festival.
These variants put more weight on the future aspect than the simple present blir.