"Gutten drikker vannet."

Translation: The boy is drinking the water.

[ChristosFl3]

Which rules defines if a noun will end in (en)or (et) when forming THE sentences?

[filipinojalapeno]

if its masculine you add -en
if its feminine you add -a or -en
if its neuter you add -et

[EugenieMarie1994]

How to identify if its masculine feminine or neuter?

[KentJordan1]

Gutten isn't "the child"?

[Deliciae]

Gutten = the boy
Barnet = the child

While all boys are children, all children are most certainly not boys, which is why we don't allow the two to be used interchangeably.

[Lorelei828255]

Ilove norwegen

[Niskowianka]

Why 'the boy drinks water'is wrong?

[Scrabblede]

Vannet is applied to "a specific water" and not just water in general.

Gutten drikker vann (the boy is drinking water, water in general)

Gutten drikker vannet (the boy is drinking the water, a specific water)

[AmyellenG]

In English we might also use The boy is drinking water.

[filipinojalapeno]

the et at the end of vannet means its the water and not just water