Introduction to Feminine Nouns
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Norwegian, nouns are either masculine, feminine, or neuter; feminine nouns use the article 'ei' for indefinite singular.
- Use 'ei' for feminine nouns: 'ei jente' (a girl).
- Feminine nouns can often be treated as masculine (en) in Bokmål.
- The definite article is added as a suffix: 'jenta' (the girl).
Feminine Noun Formation
| Indefinite Article | Noun | Definite Suffix | Full Definite |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ei
|
jente
|
-a
|
jenta
|
|
ei
|
bok
|
-a
|
boka
|
|
ei
|
klokke
|
-a
|
klokka
|
|
ei
|
kåpe
|
-a
|
kåpa
|
|
ei
|
dør
|
-a
|
døra
|
|
ei
|
natt
|
-a
|
natta
|
Meanings
Feminine nouns represent one of the three genders in Norwegian. They are marked by the indefinite article 'ei' and the definite suffix '-a'.
Indefinite Singular
Used when introducing a new feminine noun.
“Ei bok”
“Ei sol”
Definite Singular
Used when referring to a specific feminine noun.
“Boka”
“Sola”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Indefinite
|
ei + noun
|
ei jente
|
|
Definite
|
noun + -a
|
jenta
|
|
Plural Indefinite
|
noun + -er
|
jenter
|
|
Plural Definite
|
noun + -ene
|
jentene
|
|
Question
|
Er det ei jente?
|
Er det ei jente?
|
|
Negative
|
Det er ikke ei jente
|
Det er ikke ei jente
|
Spectre de formalité
Piken leser. (General)
Jenta leser. (General)
Jenta leser. (General)
Jenta leser. (General)
Gender Overview
Feminine
- ei jente a girl
Masculine
- en gutt a boy
Neuter
- et hus a house
Exemples par niveau
Ei jente leker.
A girl is playing.
Jeg har ei bok.
I have a book.
Jenta er glad.
The girl is happy.
Boka er ny.
The book is new.
Ei klokke henger på veggen.
A clock hangs on the wall.
Klokka er fem.
The time is five.
Ei sol skinner i dag.
A sun is shining today.
Sola er varm.
The sun is warm.
Hun kjøpte ei ny kåpe.
She bought a new coat.
Kåpa var for dyr.
The coat was too expensive.
Det er ei stor utfordring.
It is a big challenge.
Utfordringa er stor.
The challenge is big.
Ei kvinne snakket med læreren.
A woman spoke with the teacher.
Kvinnen er veldig dyktig.
The woman is very skilled.
Ei flaske vin ble åpnet.
A bottle of wine was opened.
Flaska var tom.
The bottle was empty.
Ei dør ble stående åpen.
A door was left standing open.
Døra knirket i vinden.
The door creaked in the wind.
Ei natt i fjellet er magisk.
A night in the mountains is magical.
Natta var kald.
The night was cold.
Ei stjerne falt fra himmelen.
A star fell from the sky.
Stjerna lyste sterkt.
The star shone brightly.
Ei stemme ropte i mørket.
A voice called in the dark.
Stemma var kjent.
The voice was familiar.
Facile à confondre
Both can use 'en'.
Erreurs courantes
en jente
ei jente
jenten
jenta
ei gutt
en gutt
boken
boka
ei hus
et hus
klokken
klokka
ei bord
et bord
kåpen
kåpa
døren
døra
natten
natta
stjernen
stjerna
stemmen
stemma
solen
sola
Structures de phrases
Jeg har ___.
Real World Usage
Har du boka?
Use 'ei'
Smart Tips
Use -a.
Prononciation
Ei
Pronounced like 'ay' in 'say'.
Falling
Jenta ↘
Statement
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Remember 'ei' for feminine, like 'ei' (eye) which is often associated with beauty.
Association visuelle
Imagine a girl (jente) holding a book (bok). Both are feminine. She is wearing a coat (kåpe).
Rhyme
Ei for the girl, a for the end, feminine nouns are your new friend.
Story
Ei jente walked into a store. She bought ei bok. She put the book in boka. She felt happy.
Word Web
Défi
Write 5 sentences using feminine nouns today.
Notes culturelles
They use feminine gender much more than Oslo.
From Old Norse.
Amorces de conversation
Hva er det?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
Det er ___ jente.
Score: /1
Exercices pratiques
1 exercisesDet er ___ jente.
Score: /1
FAQ (1)
Yes, it is allowed.
Scaffolded Practice
1
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
la
Spanish is strictly gendered.
la
French has no neuter.
die
German has cases.
none
No articles.
al-
Suffixing vs prefixing.
none
No articles.
