Breakdown of Journalisten leser avisen i parken.
i
in
lese
to read
avisen
the newspaper
parken
the park
journalisten
the journalist
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Norwegian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Journalisten leser avisen i parken.
Why do journalisten and avisen both end with -en?
They are in the definite singular form. In Bokmål, you mark “the” by adding a suffix instead of using a separate word. Common-gender nouns add -en (en journalist → journalisten, en avis → avisen).
How do you form the indefinite and definite singular of a common-gender noun like journalist?
Indefinite: use en + noun (en journalist).
Definite: noun + -en (journalisten).
(Note: some feminine nouns can take -a instead of -en, e.g. ei bok → boka, but many learners stick with common gender.)
What is the infinitive of leser and how do you recognize the present tense?
The infinitive is å lese. To form the present tense you add -r to the stem: lese → leser (“reads” or “is reading”).
Why isn’t there a preposition before avisen? In English we say “reading the newspaper,” but still no preposition.
Å lese is a transitive verb, so it takes a direct object without a preposition. Thus leser avisen = “reads the newspaper.”
Why is the word order Subject–Verb–Object–Adverbial in this sentence?
Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be in the second position. With the subject in first position, the structure is Subject (Journalisten) – Verb (leser) – Object (avisen) – Adverbial (i parken).
How would you start with the location (“In the park”) and keep correct word order?
Place the adverbial first and keep the verb second:
I parken leser journalisten avisen.
That still means “In the park, the journalist reads the newspaper.”
Why is it i parken and not på parken?
For places seen as “inside” or enclosed (like a park), Norwegian uses i + definite: i parken = in the park. På is used for surfaces (på bordet) or some institutions (på skolen), but usually not for being in a park.
How do you say “in a park” instead of “in the park”?
Use the indefinite form: i en park (in a park). You need the indefinite article en: i en park.
Can you change avisen to an indefinite object? How and what would it mean?
Yes. Journalisten leser en avis i parken.
Now it’s “a newspaper,” not a specific one. The indefinite article en marks “avis” as non-specific.
What gender are journalist and avis, and how do you know?
Both are common gender (formerly masculine/feminine merged) in Bokmål. You know because their indefinite form takes en (en journalist, en avis) and their definite form takes -en.