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Since the last few posts, we have been learning about Norwegian nouns and articles. If you have missed the previous posts, here are the links:
- Learn About Norwegian Nouns and Articles
- Learn About Norwegian Nouns and Articles – II
Now that we are familiar with the singular and plural forms of the nouns as well as the indefinite and definite forms of the nouns, we can learn the different types of nouns in more details.
Here are some of the Hankjønn nouns and the different rules of grammar that apply to them.
1. Most of the Hankjønn nouns follow the below pattern when it comes to singular and plural, indefinite and definite.
| Entall (Singular) | Flertall (Plural) | ||
| Ubestemt (Indefinite) | Bestemt (Definite) | Ubestemt (Indefinite) | Bestemt (Definite) |
| en gutt (a boy) | gutten | flere gutter | guttene |
| en stol (a stool) | stolen | flere stoler | stolene |
| en bil (a car) | bilen | flere biler | bilene |
| en pult (a desk) | pulten | flere pulter | pultene |
| en linjal (a ruler) | linjalen | flere linjaler | linalene |
| en hest (a horse) | hesten | flere hester | hestene |
| en okse (an ox) | oksen | flere okser | oksene |
| en telefon (a telephone) | telefonen | flere telefoner | telefonene |
| en maskin (a machine) | maskinen | flere maskiner | maskinene |
| en interesse (an interest) | interessen | flere interesser | interessene |
| en diskusjon (a discussion) | diskusjonen | flere diskusjoner | diskusjonene |
| en kamerat (a comrade) | kameraten | flere kamerater | kameratene |
| en religion (a religion) | religionen | flere religioner | religionene |
| en konflikt (a conflict) | konflikten | flere konflikter | konfliktene |
| en klubb (a club) | klubben | flere klubber | klubbene |
| en immigrant (an immigrant) | immigranten | flere immigranter | immigrantene |
2. Some of the Hankjønn nouns change vowels in the plural form as shown in bold below. Sorry but there are no rules here. You just need to learn such nouns as they come.
| Entall (Singular) | Flertall (Plural) | ||
| Ubestemt (Indefinite) | Bestemt (Definite) | Ubestemt (Indefinite) | Bestemt (Definite) |
| en mann (a man) | mannen | flere menn | mennene |
| en fot (a foot) | foten | flere føtter | føttene |
| en bror (a brother) | broren | flere brødre | brødrene |
| en far (a father) | faren | flere fedre | fedrene |
3. Hankjønn nouns that end in -er are different in the plural form as shown below.
| Entall (Singular) | Flertall (Plural) | ||
| Ubestemt (Indefinite) | Bestemt (Definite) | Ubestemt (Indefinite) | Bestemt (Definite) |
| en lærer (a teacher) | læreren | flere lærere | lærerne |
| en murer (a mason) | mureren | flere murere | murerne |
| en baker | bakeren | flere bakere | bakerne |
| en fisker | fiskeren | flere fiskere | fiskerne |
| en arbeider | arbeideren | flere arbeidere | arbeiderne |
| en amerikaner | amerikaneren | flere amerikanere | amerikanerne |
4. Some Hankjønn nouns that end in -er and -el are different as shown below.
| Entall (Singular) | Flertall (Plural) | ||
| Ubestemt (Indefinite) | Bestemt (Definite) | Ubestemt (Indefinite) | Bestemt (Definite) |
| en finger (a finger) | fingeren | flere fingrer | fingrene |
| en skulder (a shoulder) | skulderen | flere skuldrer | skuldrene |
| en ankel (an ankel) | ankelen | flere ankler | anklene |
5. Some of the Hankjønn nouns do not find any ending in the indefinite plural form as shown below.
| Entall (Singular) | Flertall (Plural) | ||
| Ubestemt (Indefinite) | Bestemt (Definite) | Ubestemt (Indefinite) | Bestemt (Definite) |
| en kjeks (a biscuit) | kjeksen | flere kjeks | kjeksene |
| en feil (a fail) | feilen | flere feil | feilene |
| en ting (a thing) | tingen | flere ting | tingene |
| en sko (a shoe) | skoen | flere sko | skoene |
| en meter (a meter) | meteren | flere meter | meterne |
To learn Norwegian fast from a Norwegian teacher, check out Norwegian Class 101.
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