Questions & Answers about Mikrofonen virker ikke i dag.
Why is it mikrofonen and not just mikrofon?
Norwegian usually marks “the” by adding an ending to the noun instead of putting a separate word in front.
- mikrofon = a microphone (indefinite)
- mikrofonen = the microphone (definite)
In this sentence you are talking about a specific microphone that both speaker and listener know about (for example, the one in the room), so the definite form mikrofonen is used.
Could you also say en mikrofon virker ikke i dag?
You can say En mikrofon virker ikke i dag, but it would mean:
- En mikrofon virker ikke i dag = A microphone is not working today (some microphone, not specified)
- Mikrofonen virker ikke i dag = The microphone is not working today (a particular one you have in mind)
In normal context, when you’re talking about the piece of equipment you’re using right now, you’d use the definite form mikrofonen.
What exactly does virker mean here? Is it “works” or “seems”?
The verb virker has two main meanings in Norwegian:
to function / to work (about devices, systems, solutions)
- Mikrofonen virker ikke. = The microphone doesn’t work / is not working.
to seem / to appear (about impressions)
- Han virker trøtt. = He seems tired.
In Mikrofonen virker ikke i dag, only the first meaning (to function) makes sense: the microphone isn’t functioning today.