Flertallsnavn

Flertallsnavn is a term used in Norwegian grammar to refer to nouns that denote more than one item or a group and are used in the plural form. The plural form of a noun affects how adjectives and verbs agree with the subject, and it also governs the definite form of the noun.

In Norwegian, nouns have number and gender, and most flertallsnavn form their plural in a predictable way, though there are irregularities and dialect differences. A typical pattern is to add a suffix to the singular stem, for example transforming bok (book) into bøker (books) in plural, with bøkene as the definite plural. Another common pattern is adding -er or -r, and some neuter nouns form the plural with little or no change, followed by a definite plural ending such as -ene or -ene in the written standard. Examples include hund (dog) → hunder (dogs) with hundene as the definite plural, and eple (apple) → epler (apples) with eplene as the definite plural. Some nouns show more irregular plurals, such as mann (man) → menn (men), with mennene as the definite plural.

The two primary written standards for Norwegian, Bokmål and Nynorsk, share many plural formation patterns but also have differences in certain nouns and endings. Plural forms are essential for proper syntax, as verbs in present and past tenses generally align with the number of the subject, and articles or adjectives may take different forms in plural constructions.

Overall, flertallsnavn covers the wide range of Norwegian nouns used in the plural, encompassing regular plural forms, irregular plurals, and the corresponding definite plural endings, all of which contribute to accurate agreement and meaning in sentences.