Musikken er rytmisk.

The music is rhythmic.

Breakdown of Musikken er rytmisk.

• være: to be
• musikken: the music
• rytmisk: rhythmic

Questions & Answers about Musikken er rytmisk.

Why is it Musikken and not musikk?

Norwegian puts the definite article on the end of the noun. musikk = music; musikken = the music. You use musikken when you mean specific music already known from context; use bare musikk for music in general.

Could I say Musikk er rytmisk?

Yes, but it changes the meaning. Musikk er rytmisk is a general statement about music as a concept. Musikken er rytmisk talks about particular music (for example, the track that’s playing).

Why is the adjective rytmisk (not rytmiske) after er?

After a form of å være (to be), adjectives are in the predicative and don’t take the definite -e just because the noun is definite. So: Musikken er rytmisk (not rytmiske). Predicative adjectives do, however, mark plural and (often) neuter.

So when do I use rytmiske?

• Attributive with a definite noun: den rytmiske musikken (the rhythmic music).
• Predicative with a plural subject: Sangene er rytmiske (The songs are rhythmic).

What about neuter and adjectives in -sk/-isk?

Normally neuter singular adds -t in the predicative: Huset er stort. But adjectives in -sk/-isk don’t take -t:

• et rytmisk mønster (a rhythmic pattern)
• Huset er norsk (The house is Norwegian), not norskt.

How do I make a yes/no question from this?

Invert subject and verb: Er musikken rytmisk?

How do I negate it?

Place ikke after the finite verb: Musikken er ikke rytmisk.

How do I say “more/most rhythmic”?

Use periphrastic forms: mer rytmisk (more rhythmic), mest rytmisk (most rhythmic). Forms like rytmiske­re/rytmiskest are not standard.

Can I say Musikken har rytme instead? Is there a difference?

Yes, and it’s fine.

• er rytmisk describes a quality (rhythmic in character).
• har rytme emphasizes that it has rhythm (as opposed to being arrhythmic). In many contexts they overlap.

Any common intensifiers I can add?

• veldig/svært: Musikken er veldig rytmisk.
• ganske (quite), temmelig (rather), skikkelig (really, colloquial).
  All place before the adjective.

Pronunciation tips?

• Musikken: [mʉˈsɪkːən]
  
  • u is a front rounded vowel [ʉ] (like Swedish y).
  • kk is a long consonant [kː].
• rytmisk: [ˈrʏt.mɪsk]
  
  • y is [ʏ]/[y] (like German ü).
  • Final sk here is [sk], not the sh-sound.
• er (is) is often pronounced like ær in many dialects.

Are there synonyms or near-synonyms for rytmisk?

Depending on nuance:

• taktfast (steady, on the beat)
• drivende (driving)
• pulserende (pulsating)
• dansbar (danceable)
• fengende (catchy)

Any difference in Bokmål vs Nynorsk for this sentence?

No difference here. Musikken er rytmisk. works in both standards.