foreldres

Foreldres is the genitive form of the Norwegian noun forelder, meaning “the parent.” It marks possession by one parent, as in foreldres bil (“the parent’s car”). The corresponding plural possessive is foreldrenes, used for possession by more than one parent, as in foreldrenes bil (“the parents’ car”). The base noun forelder refers to a caregiver responsible for a child and does not specify gender.

In usage, foreldres appears in everyday language as well as formal texts to indicate ownership, responsibility, or rights related to a parent. Common collocations include foreldres ansvar (the parent’s responsibility), foreldres rettigheter (the parent’s rights), and foreldres rolle i skolen (the parent’s role in the school). In legal, educational, and administrative contexts, genitive forms help clarify which party has authority or obligation.

Etymology and grammar: forelder is a native Norwegian term with cognates in other North Germanic languages. The possessive form is created by adding -s to the singular noun; foreldres contrasts with foreldrenes, the plural possessive. See also foreldre (parents), foreldrene (the parents, definite plural), and foreldrenes (the parents’ possessive).