gjestene

Gjestene is a Norwegian word meaning “the guests” and is the definite plural form of gjest (guest). It is used when referring to a specific group of visitors, as in sentences like “Gjestene kom til festen.” In everyday language, gjestene can denote any gathering of people who have come as visitors or participants at an event.

The term also appears as a title in Nordic literature and media, where it commonly signals themes related to hospitality, social boundaries, intrusion, or the dynamics between hosts and visitors. Because it is a general word rather than a reference to a single work, gjestene can be used in various contexts to denote figures in stories, plays, films, or essays that explore the experience of arriving, hosting, or being received.

Grammatical note: the indefinite plural form is gjester, while the definite plural form is gjestene. The definite plural is formed with the suffix -ne, reflecting a common pattern in Norwegian noun inflection for definite plural. Overall, gjestene functions as both a straightforward noun in daily speech and a flexible title or thematic cue within Nordic cultural productions.