Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg ser en lys stjerne over byen i kveld. - I see a bright star above the city tonight.

Stjerne is a common‐gender noun (an “en‐word”) in Norwegian. All common‐gender nouns take en as their indefinite article. Neuter nouns (the “et‐words”) would use et instead.

How does the adjective lys change with gender in indefinite forms?

Adjectives in the indefinite singular adopt no ending for common‐gender nouns but take –t for neuter nouns:

Common: en lys stjerne (“a bright star”)
Neuter: et lyst hus (“a bright house”)

Why is byen in its definite form after over?

The phrase over byen means “above the city.” Because we’re referring to a specific city (the one in view), by takes its definite form (byen). If it were any city, you’d say over en by.

What does i kveld mean, and why is the preposition i used?

Kveld = “evening.” The set phrase i kveld means “tonight” (literally “in the evening”). Norwegian uses i with:

i dag (“today”)
i morgen (“tomorrow”)
i går (“yesterday”)
i kveld (“this evening/tonight”)

Can I move i kveld to the beginning of the sentence? If so, what happens to word order?

Yes. Norwegian follows the V2 (verb‐second) rule. If you front i kveld, the verb stays in second position:
“I kveld ser jeg en lys stjerne over byen.”
(Still: Adverbial – Verb – Subject – …)

What is the difference between ser and ser på?

ser = “to see” (passively perceive something)
ser på = “to look at” (actively direct your gaze toward something)
In our sentence, ser en lys stjerne means “I see a bright star” (it’s visible).

What does over mean here? Is it always “over”?

In this context, over means “above” in a spatial sense (the star is above the city in the sky). It can also mean “across,” “via,” or even “finished” depending on context, but with motion or position it often translates as “over”/“above.”

How do you pronounce kveld? Is the final d silent?

Kveld is pronounced [ˈkvɛl]. The kv sounds like English “kv,” the e like the “e” in “bet,” and the final d is silent, so it ends /-l/.