Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Norwegian, to make a neuter noun definite, you add the suffix '-et' to the end of the word.
- If the noun is neuter (et-word), add -et: 'et hus' becomes 'huset'.
- If the neuter noun ends in a vowel, add only -t: 'et tre' becomes 'tret'.
- The indefinite article 'et' disappears when the suffix is added.
Neuter Noun Definite Suffixes
| Indefinite (Singular) | Definite (Singular) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
|
et hus
|
huset
|
the house
|
|
et barn
|
barnet
|
the child
|
|
et eple
|
eplet
|
the apple
|
|
et vindu
|
vinduet
|
the window
|
|
et tre
|
tret
|
the tree
|
|
et hjerte
|
hjertet
|
the heart
|
Meanings
The definite suffix is used to indicate that a specific, previously mentioned, or unique noun is being discussed, replacing the English 'the'.
Specific Reference
Referring to a specific object known to the listener.
“Barnet sover.”
“Eplet er rødt.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Noun + et
|
Huset er fint.
|
|
Negative
|
Noun + et + ikke
|
Huset er ikke fint.
|
|
Question
|
Er + Noun + et + ...?
|
Er huset fint?
|
|
Possessive
|
Noun + et + mi/mitt
|
Huset mitt er fint.
|
|
Adjective
|
Adjective + Noun + et
|
Det store huset.
|
|
Plural
|
Noun + ene
|
Husene er fine.
|
正式程度
Huset er betydelig i størrelse. (Describing a property)
Huset er stort. (Describing a property)
Huset er digert. (Describing a property)
Huset er sykt stort. (Describing a property)
Neuter Gender Logic
Definite
- huset the house
Indefinite
- et hus a house
按水平分级的例句
Huset er fint.
The house is nice.
Barnet leker.
The child is playing.
Eplet er grønt.
The apple is green.
Vinduet er lukket.
The window is closed.
Jeg liker huset ditt.
I like your house.
Hvor er eplet mitt?
Where is my apple?
Barnet trenger mat.
The child needs food.
Hjertet banker fort.
The heart is beating fast.
Det store huset ligger ved sjøen.
The big house is located by the sea.
Barnet som gråter er mitt.
The child who is crying is mine.
Eplet på bordet er surt.
The apple on the table is sour.
Vinduet i stuen er knust.
The window in the living room is broken.
Huset ble bygget i 1920.
The house was built in 1920.
Barnet ble tatt hånd om av læreren.
The child was taken care of by the teacher.
Eplet faller ikke langt fra stammen.
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Vinduet gir en flott utsikt.
The window provides a great view.
Huset fremstår som et arkitektonisk mesterverk.
The house appears as an architectural masterpiece.
Barnet uttrykte stor glede.
The child expressed great joy.
Eplet ble analysert i laboratoriet.
The apple was analyzed in the laboratory.
Vinduet til sjelen er øynene.
The window to the soul is the eyes.
Huset, som var forfalt, ble restaurert.
The house, which was dilapidated, was restored.
Barnet, en uskyldig sjel, led under krigen.
The child, an innocent soul, suffered during the war.
Eplet, symbol på fristelse, ble spist.
The apple, symbol of temptation, was eaten.
Vinduet mot nord er alltid kaldt.
The window facing north is always cold.
容易混淆
Learners mix up -en and -et suffixes.
Using both at once.
Using singular suffix for plural.
常见错误
et huset
huset
huseten
huset
et hus
huset
huset er en stor
huset er stort
epleten
eplet
et eplet
eplet
huset er den stor
huset er det store
det huset
huset
barnet er glad
barnet er glade
huset som jeg bor i den
huset som jeg bor i
huset, den er fin
huset, det er fint
huset som er gammel
huset som er gammelt
eplet som jeg spiste den
eplet som jeg spiste
句型
___ er fint.
Jeg liker ___.
Er ___ ditt?
Det store ___ er her.
Real World Usage
Jeg vil ha eplet.
Huset er klart.
Kontoret er moderne.
Hvor er hotellet?
Se på huset!
Eplet er inkludert.
Check the gender
No double articles
Practice out loud
Dialect variations
Smart Tips
Always learn the indefinite article with the noun.
Check for double articles.
Identify the root noun.
Focus on the gender.
发音
Suffix stress
The suffix -et is usually unstressed.
Statement
Huset er stort ↘
Falling intonation for facts.
记住它
记忆技巧
Think of 'et' as a tail that wags behind the neuter dog.
视觉联想
Imagine a house (hus) with a little tail (et) attached to its back door.
Rhyme
If the word is neuter and small, put the 'et' at the end of all.
Story
A child (barnet) lived in a house (huset). He ate an apple (eplet) by the window (vinduet). Everything was neuter and happy.
Word Web
挑战
Look around your room, identify 3 neuter objects, and say them in the definite form.
文化笔记
In Oslo, the -et suffix is very standard and pronounced clearly.
Bergen speakers often use the -et suffix but with a different pitch accent.
In some northern dialects, the -et suffix might sound slightly different due to vowel shifts.
The definite suffix evolved from the Old Norse demonstrative pronoun 'hit'.
对话开场白
Hvor er huset?
Liker du eplet?
Er vinduet åpent?
Hva synes du om barnet?
日记主题
常见错误
Test Yourself
___ (et hus) er stort.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
et eplet
et barn -> ?
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Which word is neuter?
___ (et tre) er høyt.
huset / er / stort
Score: /8
练习题
8 exercises___ (et hus) er stort.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
et eplet
et barn -> ?
et vindu -> ?
Which word is neuter?
___ (et tre) er høyt.
huset / er / stort
Score: /8
常见问题 (8)
You have to memorize the gender with the noun. Check your dictionary for 'et'.
No, -en is for masculine nouns. Using it is a common mistake.
If it ends in -e, you only add -t. For example, 'et eple' becomes 'eplet'.
Yes, but it is unstressed. It sounds like a soft 'et'.
No, plural definite nouns end in -ene.
It's a grammatical category, not related to biological gender.
Yes, it is the standard way to express definiteness in all registers.
Very few, mostly related to loanwords or specific dialectal forms.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
das Haus
Placement of the article.
la maison
Syntax.
la casa
Syntax.
sono ie
Grammatical structure.
al-bayt
Prefix vs suffix.
nà ge fángzi
Morphology.
