Jeg liker rollen hans i teaterstykket.

I like his role in the play.

Breakdown of Jeg liker rollen hans i teaterstykket.

• jeg: I
• i: in
• like: to like
• hans: his
• teaterstykket: the play
• rollen: the role

Questions & Answers about Jeg liker rollen hans i teaterstykket.

Why is it «rollen hans» and not «hans rolle»?

Both «rollen hans» and «hans rolle» are possible, but they are used slightly differently.

• «rollen hans» (noun + definite ending + possessive after):

  • This is the most neutral and most common way to say his role.
  • The noun has the definite ending: rolle → rollen (role → the role).
  • Then you add the possessive: hans.
  • Literally: the role his, but it just means “his role”.

• «hans rolle» (possessive before noun):

  • Used more for emphasis or contrast: his role (as opposed to someone else’s).
  • The noun is not in the definite form here: rolle, not rollen.
  • It still means his role, but can feel a bit more marked/focused in many contexts.

In your sentence, «Jeg liker rollen hans i teaterstykket.» the neutral, natural choice is «rollen hans».

Why does «rollen hans» have both a definite ending -en and hans? Isn’t that like saying “the his role”?

It looks that way from an English point of view, but in Norwegian this is normal:

• Definite form is marked on the noun itself:

  • en rolle = a role
  • rollen = the role

• When the possessive comes after the noun (like hans, min, din), the noun stays in the definite form:

  • rollen hans = his role
  • boka mi = my book
  • huset vårt = our house

So «rollen hans» is the standard pattern: definite noun + possessive after.
There is no extra article word like English the in front, so it’s not truly “double” in the same way as the his role would be.

Why is it «rollen» and not just «rolle»?

Because a specific, known role is being talked about: his role in the play.

Norwegian marks definiteness with an ending:

• en rolle = a role (indefinite)
• rollen = the role (definite)

In this sentence, the role is clearly identified by the rest of the sentence (in the play), so you use the definite form:

• Jeg liker rollen hans i teaterstykket.
  = I like his role (the specific one) in the play.

What gender is «rolle», and how does that affect the form «rollen»?

«Rolle» is a common-gender noun (the group that normally uses en in the indefinite).

Basic forms:

• Indefinite singular: en rolle (a role)
• Definite singular: rollen (the role)
• Indefinite plural: roller (roles)
• Definite plural: rollene (the roles)

So you get rollen (with -en) because it’s common gender + definite singular. That’s why the sentence has «rollen hans».

Why is it «i teaterstykket» and not «på teaterstykket»?

Both «i» and «på» can translate as in/on/at, but their usage is quite specific.

For being in a film, play, book, etc., Norwegian uses «i»:

• i filmen = in the movie
• i boka = in the book
• i teaterstykket = in the play

«På teateret» would mean at the theatre (place), but «i teaterstykket» means in the play (as a piece of work, a performance).

So «i teaterstykket» is correct for his role in the play.

What is «teaterstykket» made up of, and what are its forms?

«Teaterstykket» is a compound noun:

• teater = theatre
• stykke = piece
• teaterstykke = (a) play (literally: theatre piece)

The noun «teaterstykke» is neuter:

• Indefinite singular: et teaterstykke (a play)
• Definite singular: teaterstykket (the play)
• Indefinite plural: teaterstykker (plays)
• Definite plural: teaterstykkene (the plays)

So in «i teaterstykket», you have:

• i = in
• teaterstykket = the play (neuter definite form)

→ in the play

Can I say «Jeg liker hans rolle i teaterstykket.» instead? Is it wrong?

It’s not wrong, but it sounds a bit different.

• Jeg liker rollen hans i teaterstykket.
  – most neutral, everyday way to say it.

• Jeg liker hans rolle i teaterstykket.
  – perfectly grammatical, but feels a bit more formal or contrastive:

  • like you’re emphasizing his role, as opposed to someone else’s.

In normal conversation, Norwegians much more often use noun + possessive after:
«rollen hans», «rollen hennes», «rollen min», etc.

Could the sentence mean “I like the role in his play” instead of “his role in the play”? How would you say that in Norwegian?

The sentence «Jeg liker rollen hans i teaterstykket.» is naturally understood as:

• I like his role in the play. (the role belongs to him)

To say “I like the role in his play”, you would change the placement of «hans»:

• Jeg liker rollen i teaterstykket hans.
  = I like the role in his play.

So:

• rollen hans i teaterstykket → his role in the play
• rollen i teaterstykket hans → the role in his play

Is «liker» the present tense? How does the verb «å like» work, and is it like «elske»?

Yes, «liker» is the present tense of «å like» (to like).

Conjugation of å like:

• å like = to like
• liker = like / likes (present)
• likte = liked (past)
• har likt = have liked (perfect)

Usage:

• Jeg liker rollen hans… = I like his role…
• Jeg likte rollen hans… = I liked his role…

Compared to «å elske» (to love):

• å like = to like (mild/normal positive feeling)
• å elske = to love (stronger, more emotional, often romantic or very intense)

You could say «Jeg elsker rollen hans i teaterstykket.», but that would mean you really, really love it.

How do you pronounce «rollen hans i teaterstykket»?

Approximate pronunciation (Bokmål standard):

• rollen ≈ ROH-len

  • r: tapped/flapped r
  • stress on the first syllable: ROL-len

• hans ≈ hans (like hans in German; short a)

• i ≈ ee (like English see)

• teaterstykket ≈ te-AH-ter-stykk-eh

  • stress mainly on A in teAter: te-A-ter
  • stykk like styk in Stuttgart, with a short front y (like the French u in lune)
  • final -et often pronounced as a very light -e sound

Put together fairly smoothly:

• [ˈrɔlːən hans i teˈɑːtərˌʂtʏkːə] (approximate IPA)

You don’t need perfect IPA; just remember:

• stress on ROL-len and te-AH-ter
• y in stykket is NOT like English i in stick, but more like a rounded ee sound.