Dyrlegen vaksinerer katten.

Because Norwegian often puts the definite article at the end of the noun.

• dyrlege = veterinarian / vet
• dyrlegen = the veterinarian
• katt = cat
• katten = the cat

This is one of the biggest differences from English. Instead of a separate word like the, Norwegian commonly uses a suffix:

• en katt = a cat
• katten = the cat

So in this sentence, both nouns are definite: the veterinarian and the cat.

The basic forms are:

• dyrlege = vet / veterinarian
• vaksinere = to vaccinate
• katt = cat

The sentence uses inflected forms:

• dyrlegen = definite singular of dyrlege
• vaksinerer = present tense of vaksinere
• katten = definite singular of katt

Because vaksinerer is the present tense form.

• å vaksinere = to vaccinate
• vaksinerer = vaccinates / is vaccinating

In Norwegian, many verbs form the present tense with -er:

• snakke → snakker
• jobbe → jobber
• vaksinere → vaksinerer

So Dyrlegen vaksinerer katten uses the normal present-tense verb form.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Norwegian present tense often covers both:

• The veterinarian vaccinates the cat
• The veterinarian is vaccinating the cat

Unlike English, Norwegian usually does not need a special progressive form like is vaccinating. The simple present often does both jobs.

Yes, in this sentence it is.

The structure is:

• Dyrlegen = subject
• vaksinerer = verb
• katten = object

So it follows a basic subject–verb–object pattern, just like English:

• The veterinarian / vaccinates / the cat

This makes the sentence very straightforward for an English speaker.

Mainly from the word order.

In a normal Norwegian statement, the subject usually comes before the verb:

• Dyrlegen vaksinerer katten = the vet is doing the action

Norwegian nouns do not usually change form to show subject vs. object the way some languages do. So word order is very important.

In a neutral reading, the noun before the verb is understood as the subject.

Both are usually common gender nouns, which take en in the indefinite singular and -en in the definite singular.

• en dyrlege → dyrlegen
• en katt → katten

Norwegian has three genders overall, but many learners first think in terms of:

• common gender
• neuter

Here, both nouns are common gender.

You would usually say:

• En dyrlege vaksinerer en katt.

That means A veterinarian vaccinates a cat.

Compare:

• Dyrlegen vaksinerer katten. = The veterinarian vaccinates the cat.
• En dyrlege vaksinerer en katt. = A veterinarian vaccinates a cat.

So Norwegian can use:

• a separate article for the indefinite form: en
• a suffix for the definite form: -en

Yes, literally dyrlege is made up of:

• dyr = animal
• lege = doctor

So it literally means animal doctor, but it is the normal Norwegian word for vet / veterinarian.

You may also see veterinær, which is a more international-looking word. Both exist, but dyrlege is very common and natural in everyday Norwegian.

The y sound in Norwegian can be tricky for English speakers. It is a rounded front vowel, somewhat like saying ee while rounding your lips.

A rough guide:

• dyr does not sound like English deer
• keep the tongue fairly forward, but round the lips

Also:

• g in dyrlege is pronounced
• the ending -en in dyrlegen is a normal definite ending

A rough learner-friendly approximation might be something like DEWR-leh-gen, but that is only approximate. The exact vowel is worth listening to from native audio.

Because in Norwegian, the definite article is usually attached to the noun itself.

So instead of:

• the cat

Norwegian usually says:

• katten

And instead of:

• the veterinarian

Norwegian says:

• dyrlegen

A separate word like den/det/de is often used when there is an adjective:

• katten = the cat
• den svarte katten = the black cat

But in your sentence, there is no adjective, so the suffix alone is enough.

Yes.

Dyrlegen vaksinerer katten could mean:

• something happening right now
• something that happens as part of a routine or repeated situation

For example, depending on context, it might mean:

• The vet is vaccinating the cat right now
• The vet vaccinates the cat as part of its treatment plan

The present tense in Norwegian is flexible, and context tells you which meaning is intended.