Jeg må møte en kollega før jobbmøtet begynner.

I must meet a colleague before the work meeting starts.

Breakdown of Jeg må møte en kollega før jobbmøtet begynner.

• jeg: I
• en: a
• måtte: must
• møte: to meet
• kollega: the colleague
• før: before
• jobbmøtet: the work meeting
• begynne: to begin

Questions & Answers about Jeg må møte en kollega før jobbmøtet begynner.

What is the meaning and function of må in this sentence?

Må expresses necessity or obligation—it means "must" or "have to." In this sentence, it shows that the speaker is required to perform the action of meeting a colleague before the meeting starts.

Why is the verb møte used without the particle å (to) in this sentence?

In Norwegian, when a modal verb like må is used, the following main verb appears in its bare infinitive form without å. This is similar to English, where we say "I must meet" instead of "I must to meet."

Why is en used before kollega instead of et?

Norwegian nouns are categorized as either common or neuter. Kollega is a common gender noun, so it takes the indefinite article en (similar to "a" in English) rather than et which is reserved for neuter nouns.

How is the compound word jobbmøtet formed, and what does it signify?

Jobbmøtet is a compound word made up of jobb (job/work) and møtet (the meeting). The suffix -et indicates that the noun is in its definite form, making the entire word mean "the work meeting." This compact structure is common in Norwegian.

How does the subordinate clause før jobbmøtet begynner function, and what is its word order?

The clause før jobbmøtet begynner tells us when the action in the main clause should occur—it means "before the work meeting begins." It starts with the subordinating conjunction før (before), followed by the subject jobbmøtet and then the verb begynner. This subordinate clause structure is typical in Norwegian, much like in English temporal clauses.

What form is used in the verb begynner, and why is it formed that way?

Begynner is the present tense form of å begynne (to begin). In Norwegian, the present tense of most verbs is formed by adding -r to the verb stem. Thus, begynner translates to "begins" or "starts."

What is the overall word order of the sentence, and how does it compare to English?

The sentence follows a straightforward word order. In the main clause, the subject Jeg comes first, followed by the modal verb må, then the main verb møte, and finally the object en kollega. The subordinate clause før jobbmøtet begynner follows with the conjunction, the subject, and then the verb. This structure is quite similar to English, making it easier for English speakers to grasp the sentence order.