# Norwegian: første dag or den første dagen?



## highwaytraveller

So if I want to translate - 
"My life: First Day" (not so much a complete sentence but rather say, a title to a book or essay or something)

Does it have to be 'den første dagen'?
Or can I exclude the definite article for effect and say 'mitt liv: første dag'?
Does this apply to all ordinals?


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## raumar

You don't need the definite article here, neither in a title or a complete sentence. For example, both these sentences are correct:

Den første arbeidsdagen etter ferien var travel.
Første arbeidsdag etter ferien var travel.

In the expression "for the first time" [or the second/last/etc time], you have to drop the definite article in Norwegian: it has to be "for første gang". 

For a title, a third option could be "Mitt liv: dag én" (Day One)


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## Grefsen

Velkommen til nordiske språkforumet *highwaytraveller! *


highwaytraveller said:


> So if I want to translate -
> "My life: First Day" (not so much a complete sentence but rather say, a title to a book or essay or something)
> 
> Does it have to be 'den første dagen'?
> Or can I exclude the definite article for effect and say 'mitt liv: første dag'?
> Does this apply to all ordinals?


God første spørsmålet! (Good first question!)  


raumar said:


> You don't need the definite article here, neither in a title or a complete sentence. For example, both these sentences are correct:
> 
> Den første arbeidsdagen etter ferien var travel.
> Første arbeidsdag etter ferien var travel.
> 
> In the expression "for the first time" [or the second/last/etc time], you have to drop the definite article in Norwegian: it has to be "for første gang".


En annen god forklaring, *raumar! *


raumar said:


> For a title, a third option could be "Mitt liv: dag én" (Day One)


Godt forslag!


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## myšlenka

raumar said:


> You don't need the definite article here, neither in a title or a complete sentence. For example, both these sentences are correct:
> 
> Den første arbeidsdagen etter ferien var travel.
> Første arbeidsdag etter ferien var travel.


 Both are grammatically correct but I am not sure they are equivalent. Assuming you are starting in a new job, my claim is that you would prefer 1) to 2).

1) Jeg har første arbeidsdag på mandag.
2) Jeg har den første arbeidsdagen på mandag.


raumar said:


> For a title, a third option could be "Mitt liv: dag én" (Day One)


This would be my choice too!


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## Grefsen

myšlenka said:


> Both are grammatically correct but I am not sure they are equivalent. Assuming you are starting in a new job, my claim is that you would prefer 1) to 2).
> 
> 1) Jeg har første arbeidsdag på mandag.
> 2) Jeg har den første arbeidsdagen på mandag.


Please explain why "you would prefer 1) to 2)" if someone is "starting a new job."

På forhånd takk!


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## NorwegianNYC

An English equivalent, although not translation, would be:

1) First day of work (second day of work, third etc.)
2) My first day working


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## raumar

myšlenka said:


> Both are grammatically correct but I am not sure they are equivalent. Assuming you are starting in a new job, my claim is that you would prefer 1) to 2).
> 
> 1) Jeg har første arbeidsdag på mandag.
> 2) Jeg har den første arbeidsdagen på mandag.



You are right, myšlenka, I prefer 1). I don't know whether there are any subtle differences in meaning, but the wording of 2) seems clumsy and heavy, compared with 1). I don't think I am able to explain why, or come up with any general rule about the use of the definite article with ordinals.



Grefsen said:


> God første spørsmålet! (Good first question!)
> Godt forslag!



Actually, it should be "Godt første spørsmål" (or "Et godt første spørsmål"), just like "Godt forslag". "Spørsmål" is a neuter word, and the definite article -et does should not be there (neither in English nor Norwegian).


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## mexerica feliz

> I mai 1975 hadde Sture Arntzen _den fyrste arbeidsdagen_ sin i Handel og Kontor i Noreg, då som organisasjonssekretær.



http://nn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sture_Arntzen




> For dei fleste var måndag _den fyrste arbeidsdagen_ i årets nest siste månad.


http://www.turistforeningen.no/nyheter/538-gavember-er-offisielt-i-gong-bli-med/


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## Grefsen

NorwegianNYC said:


> An English equivalent, although not translation, would be:
> 
> 1) First day of work (second day of work, third etc.)
> 2) My first day working


Tusen takk! 


raumar said:


> Actually, it should be "Godt første spørsmål" (or "Et godt første spørsmål"), just like "Godt forslag". "Spørsmål" is a neuter word, and the definite article -et does should not be there (neither in English nor Norwegian).


Ja, helt riktig!


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