Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Etter øvelsen er kroppen min mindre stiv. - After the exercise my body is less stiff.

In Etter øvelsen …, you are talking about a specific exercise that just happened, so Norwegian uses the definite form: øvelsen = the exercise.

Why is it etter øvelsen and not etter øvelse?

Both are possible, but they mean slightly different things.

Etter øvelsen …
= After the exercise … (refers to a particular, specific exercise or session)
Etter øvelse …
This sounds odd if you mean a single, concrete event. Without the article, it becomes more abstract or generic, and native speakers would normally say:
- etter trening (after training, in general)
- etter øvelser (after exercises, plural, in general contexts)

So in your sentence, since you clearly refer to one specific exercise session, etter øvelsen is the natural choice.

What is the difference between etter and etterpå?

etter is a preposition meaning after and must be followed by something:
- etter øvelsen = after the exercise
- etter middag = after dinner
etterpå is an adverb meaning afterwards / later, and stands alone:
- Vi trener. Etterpå dusjer vi.
  = We work out. Afterwards we shower.

You cannot replace etter øvelsen with etterpå directly:

❌ Etterpå er kroppen min mindre stiv.
This is grammatical but now just means Afterwards my body is less stiff, with no explicit mention of the exercise.
✅ Etter øvelsen er kroppen min mindre stiv.
Clearly links the change to that specific exercise.

Why does the verb er come right after Etter øvelsen? Why not keep English word order?

Norwegian has a V2 rule (verb-second) in main clauses:
the finite verb (here er) must be in second position, no matter what comes first.

In a neutral sentence you might have:

Kroppen min er mindre stiv etter øvelsen.
(Subject kroppen min is first, so verb er comes second.)

If you move a time expression to the front for emphasis:

Etter øvelsen (time phrase) is now in first position
Therefore, the verb er must still be second, and the subject moves after it:

Etter øvelsen er kroppen min mindre stiv.

So the order Etter øvelsen er kroppen min … is required by the V2 rule.

Can I also say Kroppen min er mindre stiv etter øvelsen? Is it different in meaning?

Yes, this is perfectly correct:

Kroppen min er mindre stiv etter øvelsen.

The difference is mostly about focus and style:

Kroppen min er … etter øvelsen.
Neutral order, slightly more common in everyday speech. Focus starts with my body.
Etter øvelsen er kroppen min …
Puts more emphasis on the time frame / contrast:
After the exercise my body is less stiff (compared to before).

Both are natural; Norwegians use both depending on what they want to highlight.

Why is it kroppen min and not min kropp?

Norwegian allows two positions for possessive pronouns (my/your/etc.):

Postposed (after the noun):
- kroppen min = my body
  This is the default, neutral way in modern spoken and written Norwegian.
Preposed (before the noun):
- min kropp = my body
  This is possible but usually adds emphasis or a more emotional / contrastive tone:
- Det er min kropp! = It is my body! (not yours / I decide)

So:

Kroppen min er mindre stiv.
= Completely neutral description.
Min kropp er mindre stiv.
= Grammatically correct, but sounds like you are stressing my body in contrast to others, or being more dramatic or poetic.

In your sentence, kroppen min is the natural choice.

Why do we use min, not mitt or mine?

Possessive pronouns agree with the gender and number of the noun:

en kropp (common gender, singular) → kroppen min
et bein (neuter, singular) → beinet mitt
to armer (plural) → armene mine

So:

min = my (common gender singular) → kroppen min
mitt = my (neuter singular) → hodet mitt (my head)
mine = my (plural) → musklene mine (my muscles)

Since kropp is a common-gender noun (en kropp), the correct possessive is min.

Why is it stiv and not stivt or stive?

The adjective stiv (stiff) must agree with the subject (kroppen min) in gender and number when it is used after a linking verb like er.

For predicative adjectives (after er, blir, føles, etc.) the pattern is:

Singular, common gender: base form
- Kroppen er stiv.
Singular, neuter: -t
- Beinet er stivt. (The leg is stiff.)
Plural: -e
- Musklene er stive. (The muscles are stiff.)

Here, kroppen is common gender singular, so we use the base form stiv:

kroppen min … mindre stiv

Why do we say mindre stiv and not stivere?

Norwegian has two ways to express comparison with adjectives:

-ere ending = more [adjective] / -er
- stivere = stiffer / more stiff
mer / mindre + adjective = more / less [adjective]
- mer stiv = more stiff
- mindre stiv = less stiff

Your sentence expresses “less stiff”, so:

mindre stiv = less stiff (reduced stiffness)
stivere = stiffer (increased stiffness)

So mindre stiv is exactly right for describing a decrease in stiffness after the exercise.

Could I say Etter trening er kroppen min mindre stiv instead of Etter øvelsen …?

Yes, that is also natural, but it is slightly different:

Etter øvelsen er kroppen min mindre stiv.
Focuses on one specific exercise session (for example, a particular class or workout today).
Etter trening er kroppen min mindre stiv.
- trening = training / working out, more general
- Without an article, it can mean in general, after (doing) training.
  It sounds more like a general observation or habit.

You can also specify one particular training session:

Etter treningen er kroppen min mindre stiv.
(= after the training session, definite form, like øvelsen.)

Why is the verb in the present tense (er) when the exercise is in the past?

The time expression etter øvelsen tells us when the state is true, relative to the exercise.

Etter øvelsen er kroppen min mindre stiv.
Means: Now, in the period after the exercise, my body is less stiff.
You are describing your current state, so Norwegian uses present tense (er).

If you were talking about a situation entirely in the past, you could say:

Etter øvelsen var kroppen min mindre stiv.
= After the exercise, my body was less stiff (back then).

Is øvelse the same as “exercise” in English, or is it closer to “practice / drill”?

Øvelse overlaps with several English words. Common uses:

physical exercise
- Jeg gjør øvelser for ryggen.
  = I do exercises for my back.
practice / rehearsal (for skills, music, military, etc.)
- Vi har brannøvelse på jobben.
  = We have a fire drill at work.
- Koret har øvelse i kveld.
  = The choir has rehearsal tonight.

For general working out / training, Norwegians often prefer trening:

Etter trening er jeg trøtt. = After training I’m tired.

So in your sentence, øvelsen will usually be understood as a specific exercise or drill (context decides whether physical, musical, etc.).

How do you pronounce øvelsen and the ø sound?

Very roughly:

øvelsen → [ˈøːvəlˌsən] (in many Bokmål accents)
- ø: a bit like the u in murder or the i in girl (British), but with rounded lips
- -vel-: like “vel” in “velvet” but shorter
- -sen: unstressed, like “sən”

To make ø:

Start from the vowel in “see” or “sir”.
Keep your tongue in about the same place.
Round your lips as if you were going to say “oo”.

That rounded, front vowel is the Norwegian ø.