Norwegian does not put a separate word in front of the noun for 'the' - it glues an ending on the end instead. En-nouns take -en (hals - halsen), ei-nouns take -a (hand - hånda) and et-nouns take -et (hode - hodet). This is why body parts almost always appear with an ending.
Examples
- Jeg har vondt i hodet.
- My head hurts (I have pain in the head).
- Jeg har vondt i halsen og i magen.
- My throat and my stomach hurt.
- Ryggen gjør vondt når jeg sitter.
- My back hurts when I sit.
The mistake to avoid
Copying English and using a possessive ('vondt i mitt hode') - Norwegian says 'i hodet' with the ending instead.
Where this fits in
Body, health & feelings, Norwegian A2: Talk about your body, common illnesses, and how you feel. Visit a doctor or pharmacy and describe symptoms.