Questions & Answers about Sjefen krever et klart svar.
What does sjefen mean, and why does it end in -en?
Sjefen means the boss.
- The basic noun is sjef = boss / manager.
- Norwegian often marks definiteness (the word the) by adding an ending to the noun instead of putting a separate word in front.
- For most common‑gender nouns (the ones that take en as the indefinite article), the definite singular ending is -en.
So:
- en sjef = a boss (indefinite)
- sjefen = the boss (definite)
There is no separate the in front: you don’t say den sjefen in a simple sentence like this.
Why is it et klart svar and not en klart svar or et klar svar?