Questions & Answers about Han feier verandaen og setter kosten ved gjerdet.
Are feier and feirer the same thing?
No.
- feier is the present tense of å feie (to sweep): Han feier verandaen = He is sweeping the veranda.
- feirer is the present tense of å feire (to celebrate): Han feirer bursdag = He is celebrating a birthday. Note: en feier also means “a chimney sweep” (a noun), so context matters.
Why is it verandaen (definite) and not just veranda?
Norwegian uses the definite form a lot when a specific, known item is meant. Here, “the veranda” is clear from context (his/their veranda), so verandaen is natural.
- Common gender: en veranda – verandaen.
- Saying en veranda would introduce “a veranda” as a new, unspecified item, which is odd in this context.
Can I say feier på verandaen instead of feier verandaen?
Yes, but there’s a nuance:
- feier verandaen: the veranda is the direct object; he is cleaning that surface.
- feier på verandaen: he is doing the activity of sweeping on the veranda (location), without stressing that the veranda itself is the thing being cleaned. Both are correct; the original emphasizes cleaning the veranda.