Poten klør.

the paw

Breakdown of Poten klør.

• klø: to itch; scratch

Questions & Answers about Poten klør.

Why is it poten and not pote?

Poten is the definite singular form of pote.

• pote = a paw
• poten = the paw

So Poten klør literally means The paw itches.

In Bokmål, many nouns take -en in the definite singular. You may also come across pota in some varieties, but poten is a normal Bokmål form.

What does klør mean here?

Here, klør is the present tense of the verb å klø, which means to itch.

So:

• å klø = to itch
• klør = itches / is itching

In this sentence, Poten klør means the paw is itchy or is itching.

Why is there no separate word for is, as in is itching?

Norwegian usually does not need a separate verb like is in this kind of sentence.

English often says:

• The paw itches
• The paw is itching

Norwegian can express both with just:

• Poten klør

So the simple present klør can cover both a general present meaning and an ongoing present meaning, depending on context.

Can klør also mean ?