Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Bruken av passord er viktig. - The use of passwords is important.

Norwegian usually puts the definite article on the end of the noun. So bruk = “use/usage,” and bruken = “the use/usage.” Norwegian often uses this “generic definite” when talking about a general phenomenon, especially when it’s followed by a specifying phrase like av passord. English can translate it as either “The use of passwords” or simply “Use of passwords.”

Why is it av? Could I use til or med instead?

bruken av X = “the use of X” (X is what’s being used). That’s the idiomatic pattern here.
bruke X til Y = “use X for Y/purpose” (til marks purpose): Vi bruker passord til innlogging.
med means “with” (instrument/means): Vi logger inn med passord.
So here it must be av.

Is passord singular or plural here? How can I tell?

Here it’s read as indefinite plural/generic: “of passwords.” Forms of this neuter noun are:

Singular: et passord, definite passordet
Plural: passord, definite passordene
After av, the bare form passord is plural/generic, not singular.

Why not passordene?

Passordene = “the passwords,” which points to a specific set. The sentence is making a general statement, so the indefinite plural passord is used. You’d use passordene only if you mean those particular passwords: Bruken av passordene vi har på jobben er viktig.

Why is it viktig and not viktige or viktigt?

The adjective agrees with the subject bruken (singular), so use the singular form viktig.
viktige is plural: Passord er viktige.
viktigt is not standard modern Bokmål (it looks Swedish/old-fashioned). Also, adjectives ending in -ig don’t take -t in the neuter: et viktig passord (not “viktigt”).

Can I say “Det er viktig å bruke passord” instead? Which sounds more natural?

Yes. Alternatives:

Det er viktig å bruke passord. (very natural, neutral)
Å bruke passord er viktig. (fine)
Det er viktig med passord. (“it is important to have/use passwords,” common in speech)
Bruken av passord er viktig. (more nominal/abstract, often a bit more formal)

Could I make a compound like passordbruk?

Yes. Compounds are common:

Passordbruk er viktig.
Passordbruken er viktig.
These mean the same thing and are concise; using av is equally correct.

What’s the difference between bruk, bruke, and bruker?

bruk = the noun “use/usage” (definite: bruken)
å bruke = the verb “to use” (present bruker, past brukte, perfect har brukt, imperative bruk!)
en bruker = “a user” (person), definite brukeren

Could I drop the definite and write Bruk av passord er viktig?

Yes, that’s also grammatical. With a generic statement plus a following av-phrase, Norwegian often prefers the definite (Bruken av …), but the indefinite (Bruk av …) is also used, especially in headings or concise style. The meaning here is the same.

What gender is bruk here? Why not bruket?

For the meaning “use/usage,” bruk is masculine: bruken = “the use.”
bruket is the neuter definite and typically refers to a different noun meaning (“the farm, the holding”). So don’t use bruket here.

How do I turn this into a question or make it negative?

Yes/no question: Er bruken av passord viktig?
Negative: Bruken av passord er ikke viktig. (place ikke after er)

Any quick pronunciation tips?

Very rough guide (varies by dialect):

Bruken ≈ “BROO-ken” (the u is a front rounded vowel, like German ü)
av ≈ “ahv”
passord ≈ “PASS-ord” (the rd often sounds like a single retroflex “d”)
er ≈ “air/ær”
viktig ≈ “VIK-tee(g)”

What’s the nuance of “Det er viktig med passord”?

It literally says “It is important with passwords,” but idiomatically means “It’s important to have/use passwords” (emphasizing the presence/availability of passwords). It’s a natural, slightly more informal alternative to the original sentence.

How would I say “the use of the password” (a specific password)?

Use the definite singular: Bruken av passordet … (e.g., Bruken av passordet på denne maskinen er logget.)