Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Sønnen drikker melk før han legger seg. - The son drinks milk before he goes to bed.

In Norwegian, the definite article is attached as a suffix to the noun. So sønnen = the son. If you used en sønn, it would mean a son. Here we refer to a specific son, so we use the definite form.

Why is the verb drikker spelled with two k’s in the present tense?

The infinitive å drikke has a short vowel i in its stem. When forming the present tense, you add -er, but you double the consonant to keep the vowel short, giving drikker.

Why doesn’t melk have an article before it?

Melk is an uncountable (mass) noun in Norwegian, so you normally don’t use an indefinite article. You just say drikker melk for drinks milk. If you want to specify an amount, you could say drikker et glass melk for drinks a glass of milk or drikker litt melk for drinks some milk.

What does før mean here, and how does it function in the sentence?

Før is a conjunction meaning before. It introduces a subordinate clause (før han legger seg = before he goes to bed). In Norwegian subordinate clauses, you keep the normal order: Conjunction + Subject + Verb + Rest.

Why is han needed in før han legger seg? Can you omit it?

No, you cannot omit the subject pronoun in Norwegian clauses. Each clause—main or subordinate—must have its own explicit subject. So even though it refers to the same person as the main clause, han must appear: før han legger seg.

What does legger seg literally mean, and how is it constructed?

Legge seg is a reflexive construction: legge means to lay, and seg means oneself. Together, å legge seg idiomatically means to go to bed or to lie down. In the present tense, legger is the form of å legge, and seg remains unchanged.

How do you express the English continuous aspect like is drinking in Norwegian?

Norwegian has no separate continuous tense. The present tense drikker covers both drinks and is drinking. If you want to emphasize that the action is happening at this moment, you can add words like akkurat nå: Han drikker melk akkurat nå (He is drinking milk right now).

How do you pronounce the letter ø in sønnen and før?

The letter ø is a mid-front rounded vowel, similar to the sound in French œ or German ö, and also like the vowel in the English word bird for many non-rhotic accents. To practice, round your lips as if saying o while trying to say e.