Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Katten går over bordet.

So katten literally means the cat. Norwegian normally does not put a separate word in front like English the cat; instead, the -en ending marks the definite form for many masculine and feminine nouns.

Why is it bordet and not bord?

Same reason as with katten: -et is the definite ending for many neuter nouns.

bord = a table
bordet = the table

English says the cat walks over the table, so both nouns (cat, table) are definite. Norwegian mirrors that by making both nouns definite: katten and bordet.

How do I know that bord is neuter and takes -et in the definite form?

Norwegian nouns belong to three grammatical genders:

masculine: usually -en in the definite singular (e.g. en bil, bilen)
feminine: usually -a or -en (e.g. ei bok, boka/boken)
neuter: usually -et in the definite singular (e.g. et bord, bordet)

You generally have to memorize the gender with each new noun:

Learn et bord (a table), not just bord.
Then the definite form bordet will feel natural.

Does går mean goes or walks here?

Går can correspond to both English goes and walks, depending on context:

Jeg går hjem. = I’m going home / I walk home.
Katten går over bordet. = The cat walks across the table / The cat goes over the table.

If you want to emphasize running, you’d use løper (runs). If you want to emphasize slow walking, spaserer (strolls) can be used in other contexts, but går is the default neutral verb for moving on foot.

Why is there no separate word like is (as in is walking)? Why not something like Katten er går over bordet?

Norwegian normally does not use a separate progressive tense like English is walking. The simple present covers both:

Katten går over bordet.
= The cat walks over the table.
= The cat is walking over the table.

You cannot say *Katten er går over bordet.
If you really need a continuous idea, you might restructure (e.g. Katten holder på å gå…), but for everyday purposes, går alone is enough.

What exactly does over mean here? Is it across or above?

Over is quite flexible and can mean:

Across (from one side to the other, usually touching)
- Katten går over bordet. → The cat walks across the table (on the surface).
Over/above (not necessarily touching)
- Fuglen flyr over bordet. → The bird flies over/above the table.

In this sentence, because it’s a cat and the verb is går (walks), the most natural interpretation is walking on the table from one side to the other → across the table.

What’s the difference between over bordet, på bordet, and oppå bordet?

They express slightly different relationships:

på bordet
- “on the table” (on the surface, contact is clear)
- Katten går på bordet. = The cat is walking on the table (somewhere on top of it).
over bordet
- typically “over/across the table”
- with går, it usually means walking across the surface, but could also be interpreted as above it (less likely for a cat).
oppå bordet
- literally “up on the table”; focuses on the movement onto the table or being on top of it
- Katten hopper oppå bordet. = The cat jumps up onto the table.

So:

på = on (location)
over = over/across (movement or position)
oppå = up onto / on top of (movement + resulting position)

Could Katten går over bordet also mean the cat is going overboard, like off a boat?

Not in this form. Overboard in Norwegian is over bord (two words), not over bordet.

Han falt over bord. = He fell overboard.

Your sentence has bordet (the table), so it clearly refers to a table, not a ship’s side.

Is the word order Katten går over bordet fixed, or can I change it?

This is the neutral main-clause order:

Subject – Verb – (Other elements)
Katten (S) går (V) over bordet (PP).

You can move something to the front for emphasis or to add context, but the verb stays in second position (Norwegian V2 rule):

I dag går katten over bordet. = Today the cat walks over the table.
- I dag (1st), går (2nd), then katten…

You cannot freely move går to the end like English questions or poetic style:

*Katten over bordet går. (ungrammatical in normal speech)

How would I say The cats walk over the tables in Norwegian?

You make both nouns plural and definite:

katte- → kattene (the cats)
bord → bordene (the tables, since bord is neuter)

So:

Kattene går over bordene.
= The cats walk over the tables.

How do you pronounce går?

In standard Eastern Norwegian:

går is usually like gohr with a long, rounded vowel, close to /goːr/ or /ɡoːr/.
The å is like the vowel in British English law or born, but a bit tenser.
The r may be tapped (like a quick Spanish r) or a more uvular sound depending on dialect.

So roughly: gohr (but with a more Nordic quality than English go).

Is there any agreement between katten and går like in some other languages?

No. Norwegian verbs do not change for person or number in the present tense.

Jeg går – I go
Du går – You go
Han/hun/den/katten går – He/she/it/the cat goes
Vi går – We go
De går – They go

So går stays the same regardless of whether the subject is katten (the cat) or kattene (the cats).