Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Billetten betales på nettet før reisen. - The ticket is paid online before the trip.

In Norwegian, the definite form (billetten = the ticket) is often used when both the speaker and listener know which item is being talked about, even if English might use just “the ticket” implicitly.

Here, it’s understood that we are talking about a specific ticket (for a specific trip), so Norwegian uses the definite form:

en billett = a ticket
billetten = the ticket

Using billett without any article would be wrong in this sentence. You either say:

Billetten betales ... (The ticket is paid …), or
En billett betales ... (A ticket is paid …), but this second one sounds strange here because we mean the ticket for this journey.

Why is the verb betales (passive) and not betaler (active)?

Betales is the passive form and corresponds to English “is paid” rather than “pays” or “pay”.

(Noen) betaler billetten. = (Someone) pays the ticket. (active)
Billetten betales. = The ticket is paid. (passive)

In Norwegian, the passive with -s is very common when:

You want to talk about a general rule or procedure.
The doer of the action is not important (we don’t say who pays).

So Billetten betales på nettet før reisen = The ticket is paid online before the journey (i.e., “You/one/people pay the ticket online before the journey.”).

How is the passive form betales formed, and is there another way to say it?

Betales is formed by adding -s to the present tense of the verb:

betale (to pay) → betaler (pays) → betales (is paid)

Norwegian also has another passive construction using bli + past participle:

Billetten blir betalt på nettet før reisen.

Both:

Billetten betales ...
Billetten blir betalt ...

are grammatically correct and natural. The -s passive is a bit more compact and common in written language, rules, and instructions.

Why is it på nettet and not på internett or something else?

All of these are used in Norwegian, with slightly different flavors:

på nettet
Literally “on the net”, usually understood as on the internet or online. Very common and natural in everyday language.
på internett
More explicit: literally “on the internet”. Also correct and common.
via nettet, over nettet
“Via the net / over the net” – also possible, but på nettet is the most standard here.

So you could also say:

Billetten betales på internett før reisen.
Billetten betales via nettet før reisen.

They all work; på nettet is just the most idiomatic and short.

Why is it på nettet and not i nettet, since in English we often say “on the internet” or “online”?

Norwegian typically uses på with platforms, surfaces, and some abstract “places”:

på nettet (on the net / online)
på TV, på radioen
på kino, på jobb, på skolen

So på is the natural preposition here; i nettet would mean “inside the net” (like inside a fishing net or a goal net), which is not the intended meaning.

Why is the tense present (betales) when the action happens in the future (before the trip)?

Norwegian often uses the present tense to talk about:

Scheduled future events
General rules or routines

Here the sentence states a general rule: as a rule, the ticket is paid online before the journey. English can do something similar (“The train leaves at 7 tomorrow”), but with rules we more often say “must be paid” or “has to be paid”.

Norwegian:

Billetten betales på nettet før reisen.
English interpretations:
“The ticket is paid online before the journey.”
“You pay the ticket online before the journey.”
“The ticket is paid online in advance.” (rule/requirement)

Why is reisen in the definite form? Could we say før reise?

Reisen is the definite form:

en reise = a trip/journey
reisen = the trip/the journey

We are talking about the specific journey for which the ticket is bought, so the definite form is natural: before the journey (in question).

Før reise without an article sounds wrong here. You would need either:

før reisen (before the journey)
or, in a more general sense,
før en reise (before a journey / before any journey)

But in this context, før reisen is the most idiomatic, because it’s tied to that particular ticket.

What grammatical gender do billett and reise have, and how does that affect the forms billetten and reisen?

Both billett and reise are common gender nouns (in Norwegian: felleskjønn), so they use en as the indefinite article.

en billett → billetten (the ticket)
en reise → reisen (the journey/trip)

Pattern for common gender:

Indefinite singular: en X
Definite singular: X + en (attached to the noun)

So the endings -en in billetten and reisen are just the regular definite singular endings for common gender nouns.

Is there a difference in meaning between Billetten betales på nettet før reisen and an English sentence like “You pay for the ticket online before the trip”?

The meaning is essentially the same. The difference is more about style and perspective:

Norwegian uses the passive:
Billetten betales på nettet før reisen.
Literally: The ticket is paid on the net before the journey.
English often chooses an implicit “you” or generic subject:
“You pay for the ticket online before the trip.”
“Tickets are paid for online before the trip.” (closer in structure)

The Norwegian sentence is a neutral, rule-like statement, typical for instructions, regulations, and information texts. English can do that too (“Tickets are paid for online before travel”), so that is the most literal structural equivalent.

Could we say Billetten må betales på nettet før reisen? What’s the difference?

Yes, and it’s very natural.

Billetten betales på nettet før reisen.
States what happens / what is done as a general rule.
Billetten må betales på nettet før reisen.
Adds an explicit obligation: The ticket must be paid online before the journey.

English often uses must / has to where Norwegian can simply use the passive and still sound like a rule. If you really want to stress that it is an obligation or requirement, må betales is stronger.

Can I put før reisen earlier in the sentence, like Billetten betales før reisen på nettet?

You can, but it sounds less natural. The most idiomatic order is:

Billetten betales på nettet før reisen.

Typical pattern:
Subject – Verb – (Object) – Place – Time

Here:

Subject: Billetten
Verb: betales
Place: på nettet
Time: før reisen

Reordering to Billetten betales før reisen på nettet is grammatically possible, but native speakers will usually prefer the original order.

What is the difference between reise and tur in this context?

Both can sometimes be translated as “trip”, but they’re used slightly differently:

reise
More neutral/formal, often for longer travel or the act of traveling itself. Common in tickets, schedules, official information.
- før reisen = before the journey/trip
tur
A bit more informal and flexible; can be short or long: a walk, a short trip, an outing, a tour, etc.
- før turen = before the trip/outting/tour

In information about tickets and travel, reise is more typical, so før reisen sounds very natural on, for example, a company website or in instructions.