Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Kjæledyret deres liker å sitte på balkongen i bakgården. - Their pet likes to sit on the balcony in the backyard/courtyard.

Indefinite + preposed possessor: deres kjæledyr
Definite + postposed possessor: kjæledyret deres The postposed pattern is very common and sounds natural for specific, known things.

What exactly does deres mean here?

Deres can mean either:

their (3rd person plural), or
your (2nd person plural). Context decides which. A capitalized Deres can also be very formal singular “your,” but that’s rare today.

Can I say Deres kjæledyr instead of kjæledyret deres?

Yes. Both are correct but differ in nuance:

Kjæledyret deres: specific/known pet; neutral, everyday style.
Deres kjæledyr: often introduces the pet as new information or adds contrast/emphasis to the owner (“your/their pet (as opposed to someone else’s)”). Slightly more formal or emphatic.

Which “our” would I use with kjæledyr: vår or vårt?

Kjæledyr is neuter, so use neuter forms:

Preposed: vårt kjæledyr
Postposed: kjæledyret vårt

Could I use sin/sitt/sine instead of deres?

Not here. Sin/sitt/sine is reflexive and must refer to the subject of the clause. The subject is kjæledyret, so kjæledyret sitt would mean “the pet’s own pet,” which makes no sense. If the owners were the subject, you’d still need deres inside the subordinate clause:

Correct: De liker at kjæledyret deres sitter …
Wrong: De liker at kjæledyret sitt sitter … (would refer back to the pet)

Why is it liker å sitte and not liker og sitte?

Å is the infinitive marker (“to”), while og means “and.” After verbs like liker, you need å before the infinitive:

liker å sitte Using og here is a common spelling mistake to avoid.

What’s the difference between å sitte and å sette seg?

å sitte = to be in a sitting position (state).
å sette seg = to sit down (action/change of state). In the sentence, liker å sitte means the pet enjoys being seated there. Liker å sette seg på balkongen would emphasize the act of going there and sitting down.

Why is it på balkongen but i bakgården?

Prepositions follow place type:

på for surfaces/open/attached places: på balkongen, på terrassen, på taket.
i for enclosed/inside spaces: i bakgården, i hagen, i huset. You can also add ute for “out on”: ute på balkongen.

Could I say på bakgården?

Normally no. For a courtyard/backyard (bakgård), standard Norwegian uses i bakgården. På gården is idiomatic for “on the farm,” but på bakgården sounds odd in standard usage.

Why are both balkongen and bakgården definite?

We’re talking about specific, contextually unique places (the balcony and backyard that belong to that building/home). Norwegian often uses definite forms for such specific locations. If you meant non-specific ones, you’d use indefinites: på en balkong i en bakgård.

Can I move the place phrase to the front? What happens to word order?

Yes. Norwegian main clauses are V2 (the finite verb is in second position). If you front the place phrase, the verb still comes second:

På balkongen i bakgården liker kjæledyret deres å sitte. This is correct and slightly more topical/contrastive.

What if there are multiple pets?

Use the definite plural of kjæledyr and keep the verb the same:

Kjæledyrene deres liker å sitte på balkongen i bakgården. Notes:
kjæledyr (indef. sg./pl.)
kjæledyret (def. sg.)
kjæledyrene (def. pl.) Norwegian verbs don’t change for number/person, so liker stays liker.

Is i bakgården the best choice with balkongen, or should it be mot bakgården?

Both occur, but they say slightly different things:

balkongen i bakgården can be understood as “the balcony that’s in the courtyard area” (colloquial shorthand).
balkongen mot bakgården explicitly means “the balcony facing the courtyard,” which many find more precise for a balcony attached to a building. Both are acceptable; choose mot if you want to stress the orientation.

Why is bakgården one word?

Norwegian typically writes compound nouns as one word. bak + gård → bakgård; definite: bakgården. More examples: barnerom, håndveske, utlandet.