Questions & Answers about Er Deres billett gyldig i dag?
What does the word Deres mean, and why is it capitalized?
Deres is the formal/polite possessive pronoun meaning your. The capital D signals formal address (like addressing a customer in a very formal letter). Lowercase deres means either your (plural) or their, depending on context. Because of the ambiguity, the capital D is used for formal address.
Is Deres singular or plural?
Is the whole sentence formal or old-fashioned?
Yes. Er Deres billett gyldig i dag? sounds very formal and somewhat old-fashioned in speech. It might appear in very formal letters, notices, or historical texts. In everyday modern Norwegian, people almost always use du/din or dere/deres.
How would I say this in everyday, natural Norwegian?
Common, neutral alternatives:
- To one person: Er billetten din gyldig i dag?
- To several people: Er billetten deres gyldig i dag?
- Without a possessive (typical from a ticket inspector): Er billetten gyldig i dag?
- Very natural alternative with a different verb: Har du gyldig billett i dag?