Kjøpes

Kjøpes is the present passive form of the Norwegian verb kjøpe, meaning "is bought" or "are bought." It represents a synthetic passive construction, formed by adding the suffix -es to the present-tense stem of the verb. Kjøpes is commonly used in impersonal or generic statements, and appears frequently in commercial or signage contexts.

In usage, køy repeats: Examples include "Varene kjøpes i nettbutikken" (The goods are bought in the online store), "Det kjøpes mye klær i desember" (A lot of clothes are bought in December), and short notices such as "Kjøpes her" (Bought here). The form is particularly common in written Norwegian and in public-facing text, where the actor performing the purchase is unknown or irrelevant.

Comparison with other passive forms: the periphrastic passive "blir kjøpt" uses the auxiliary bli and is often preferred in narrative or more dynamic contexts to describe ongoing actions performed by unspecified agents. In contrast, the synthetic passive "kjøpes" tends to signal general facts, tendencies, or habitual purchases rather than a specific event.

Etymology and related forms: kjøpes comes from the verb kjøpe, related to the Danish købe and Swedish köpa, all tracing back to older Germanic roots such as Old Norse kaup(a). The use of the -es suffix as a present passive is a characteristic feature of contemporary Norwegian, alongside other passive forms like "selges" (is sold) and "lages" (is made).

See also: kjøpe, kjøp.