En postkasse står bak huset.

A mailbox stands behind the house.

Breakdown of En postkasse står bak huset.

• en: a
• huset: the house
• stå: to stand
• postkassen: the mailbox
• bak: behind

Questions & Answers about En postkasse står bak huset.

Why is it en postkasse and not et postkasse?

Norwegian has two grammatical genders in the written standard (Bokmål): common (n-words) and neuter (t-words). The indefinite article en is used with common-gender nouns, while et is used with neuter nouns.

• postkasse is a common-gender noun ⇒ en postkasse
• hus is neuter ⇒ et hus

Why is huset in the definite form, while postkasse remains indefinite?

Definiteness in Norwegian is marked on the noun itself with a suffix:

• Neuter nouns like hus add -et for the definite singular: hus → huset (“the house”).
• Common-gender nouns add -en for the definite singular: stol → stolen (“the chair”).

In this sentence, postkasse is being introduced for the first time (so it’s indefinite – en postkasse), whereas huset is assumed known or contextually given, so it appears in the definite form (huset).

What exactly does bak govern here? Do I need another article or case ending?

bak is a preposition meaning “behind.” In Norwegian you place it directly before the noun (in its correct form):

• indefinite: bak et hus (“behind a house”)
• definite: bak huset (“behind the house”)

There is no extra article or case ending beyond the normal definite suffix -et on huset.

Why is the verb står used instead of ligger? Both can translate as “is.”

In Norwegian, position verbs agree with the object’s posture:

• stå (“to stand”) for upright objects
• ligge (“to lie”) for objects resting flat or horizontal

A mailbox is typically upright, so you say står bak huset. If you talked about a fallen plank, you’d use ligger: ei grein ligger på bakken (“a branch lies on the ground”).

Can I say Bak huset står en postkasse? What’s the rule for word order?

Yes. Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must be the second element. If you start with an adverbial phrase (Bak huset), you invert subject and verb:

1. Adverbial first: Bak huset
2. Verb second: står
3. Subject third: en postkasse
   → Bak huset står en postkasse.

Could I use postkassen instead of en postkasse?

Yes, but it changes the nuance. postkassen is definite (“the mailbox”), implying you and your listener know exactly which mailbox you mean. en postkasse is indefinite (“a mailbox”) and simply introduces its existence.

Why is postkasse written as one word, while in English we often write “post box”?

Norwegian tends to form compound nouns by merging words into one:

• post (mail) + kasse (box) → postkasse
  This is standard in both Bokmål and Nynorsk.

Can I use bakom huset instead of bak huset?

Yes. bakom is a colloquial synonym of bak (“behind”). It’s common in speech and regional writing, though in formal written language bak huset is preferred.