Kjønnsbøying

Kjønnsbøying, or gender inflection, is the process by which words change form to reflect the grammatical gender and number of the noun they modify. In Norwegian, both Bokmål and Nynorsk use a system of gendered nouns, and related words such as adjectives, determiners and pronouns typically agree with the noun they describe.

Norwegian nouns are assigned a gender, commonly described as common gender (en/ei) and neuter (et). Adjectives and determiners adjust their endings to match the noun’s gender and number. A simple illustration in indefinite form is en stor bil (masculine/common), ei stor bil (feminine/common in some varieties), and et stort hus (neuter). In definite constructions, similar agreement is expected, with corresponding determiner forms.

Differences exist between Bokmål and Nynorsk in how strictly and transparently kjønnsbøying is applied. Nynorsk generally preserves clearer gender agreement across adjectives, while Bokmål has evolved with more variation and, in practice, tends to allow more flexible usage in some contexts, especially in spoken language.

In contemporary Norwegian, changes in language attitudes have influenced how kjønnsbøying is used. There is growing attention to gender-neutral language, including the use of non-binary pronouns such as hen. While hen does not require gender agreement in the same way as traditional kjønnsbøying, awareness of gender identity influences language choices and new forms of reference may emerge in written and spoken usage.