Articles (Definite & Indefinite)

Norwegian has three indefinite articles corresponding to "a/an" in English: "en" for masculine nouns, "ei" for feminine nouns, and "et" for neuter nouns. The gender of the noun determines which article to use. In modern Bokmål, the feminine can often be replaced with the masculine form (en), so you'll frequently see "en" used for both masculine and feminine nouns.

Unlike English and many other languages, Norwegian attaches the definite article to the end of the noun as a suffix. This is called a "suffixed definite article". For masculine nouns add -en, for feminine nouns add -a (or -en), for neuter nouns add -et. This creates a single word: "mannen" (the man), "jenta" (the girl), "barnet" (the child).

Norwegian plurals typically add -er for common gender and -∅ (no change) or -er for neuter. For definite plural, add -ene (common) or -a/-ene (neuter) to form "the + plural noun". The pattern is: indefinite singular → indefinite plural → definite plural. For example: en bil → biler → bilene (a car → cars → the cars).

When an adjective comes before a definite noun, Norwegian uses "double definite" - both a free-standing definite article and the suffixed article. The articles are: den (masc/fem), det (neuter), de (plural). This creates phrases like "den store bilen" (the big car) where both "den" AND "-en" on "bilen" are used.

While gender must often be learned with each noun, there are some patterns. Most nouns referring to male beings are masculine, female beings can be feminine. Many abstract nouns and loanwords are masculine. Neuter nouns often include: many one-syllable words (et hus, et år), collective nouns, and nouns ending in -eri, -um.