Questions & Answers about Formålet er å hjelpe.
Why is it formålet and not et formål?
Because formålet is the definite form of the noun formål.
- et formål = a purpose
- formålet = the purpose
In this sentence, Norwegian is talking about a specific purpose, so it uses the definite form.
What gender is formål, and why does it end in -et?
Formål is a neuter noun in Norwegian.
For many neuter nouns:
- indefinite singular: et formål
- definite singular: formålet
So the ending -et marks the on a neuter noun.
Why is there no separate word for the before formålet?
In Norwegian, the definite article is often added to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word.
So:
- English: the purpose
- Norwegian: formålet
This is very common in Scandinavian languages.
What does er mean here?