Lesson goal
In this lesson, the student learns to name the main animals on a farm, distinguish adult animals from young ones, and talk about a group of animals and their quantity in a work situation. The focus is on singular and plural noun forms, which are often needed during farm rounds, feeding, and when passing information to colleagues.
New vocabulary
ku — cow
kalv — calf
sau — sheep
lam — lamb
gris — pig
høne — hen
dyr — animal, animals
flokk — herd, group of animals
besetning — livestock, herd, the total group of animals on a farm
antall — quantity, number
kyr — cows
kalver — calves
sauer — sheep
griser — pigs
høner — hens
Useful phrases
Vi har tjue kyr i fjøset. — We have twenty cows in the cowshed.
Hvor mange lam er det her? — How many lambs are here?
Besetningen er større i år. — The livestock is larger this year.
Kalvene står i den andre delen av fjøset. — The calves are in the other part of the cowshed.
Vi har en liten flokk med sauer. — We have a small flock of sheep.
Antallet griser har økt. — The number of pigs has increased.
Det er mange dyr på gården nå. — There are many animals on the farm now.
Hønene er ute i dag. — The hens are outside today.
Grammar
In this lesson, singular and plural nouns are important in a work context. On a farm, it is necessary to quickly distinguish whether we are talking about one animal or a group. Some forms are regular: for example, «kalv – kalver», «gris – griser», «høne – høner». But there are also forms that need to be memorized separately: «ku – kyr», «sau – sauer». The word «lam» often has the same form in both singular and plural: the quantity is understood from the numeral or the context. The word «dyr» is also often used both as a general name for an animal and as a plural form. After numerals, the noun is usually put in the plural if the form changes: «to kalver», «fem griser», «tjue kyr». In work messages, it is important to combine the noun with an indication of place and quantity so that the information is accurate and clear.
Examples
Vi har en ku og to kalver. — We have one cow and two calves.
Det står tre griser i bingen. — There are three pigs in the pen.
Jeg ser en sau med to lam. — I see a sheep with two lambs.
Hønene er ved låven. — The hens are by the barn.
Denne flokken er rolig i dag. — This herd is calm today.
Besetningen består av kyr, sauer og høner. — The livestock consists of cows, sheep, and hens.
Antallet dyr varierer gjennom året. — The number of animals varies throughout the year.
Det er en gris her, men fem griser der. — There is one pig here, but five pigs there.
Kalvene er små, men kyrne er store. — The calves are small, but the cows are large.
Hvor mange sauer har vi nå? — How many sheep do we have now?
Vi har flere dyr enn i fjor. — We have more animals than last year.
Lam står sammen i den lille innhegningen. — The lambs stand together in the small enclosure.