Breakdown of Eleven gjør lekser på hjemmekontoret.
gjøre
to do
på
in
leksen
the homework
hjemmekontoret
the home office
Questions & Answers about Eleven gjør lekser på hjemmekontoret.
Does Eleven mean the number eleven here?
No.
In Norwegian:
- eleven (with a lowercase e) = the pupil / the student (definite form of elev)
- elleve = eleven (the number 11)
So in this sentence, Eleven (capitalized only because it starts the sentence) means “the pupil / the student”, not the number.
What is the difference between elev and eleven?
They are different forms of the same noun:
- en elev = a pupil / a student (indefinite singular)
- eleven = the pupil / the student (definite singular)
- elever = pupils / students (indefinite plural)
- elevene = the pupils / the students (definite plural)
So Eleven gjør lekser… = “The student does homework…”
Does elev mean a school pupil or a university student?
Mainly a school pupil (primary, lower secondary, upper secondary).
For university, Norwegians usually say:
- en student = a (university/college) student
So eleven most naturally suggests a child or teenager in school, not a university student.