Vær så snill, begynn møtet uten meg hvis jeg er sen.

Please, start the meeting without me if I am late.

Breakdown of Vær så snill, begynn møtet uten meg hvis jeg er sen.

• jeg: I
• være: to be
• møte: the meeting
• hvis: if
• sen: late
• vær så snill: please
• begynne: to start
• uten: without
• meg: me

Questions & Answers about Vær så snill, begynn møtet uten meg hvis jeg er sen.

What does Vær så snill mean in this sentence?

Vær så snill literally translates as “be so kind,” but it's used idiomatically to mean "please". It’s a polite way to ask someone to do something, much like in English.

How is begynn used grammatically here?

Begynn is the imperative form of the verb å begynne (“to begin” or “to start”). In this sentence, it gives a command instructing someone to start the meeting.

Why does the sentence say møtet instead of et møte?

In Norwegian, nouns can have a definite form that is attached as a suffix. Møtet means "the meeting" (with the definite article included), whereas et møte would simply mean "a meeting." The sentence specifies that a particular meeting is being referred to.

What does uten meg mean, and why is it placed after møtet?

Uten meg means "without me." It comes after møtet to clarify that the meeting should proceed in the speaker’s absence if the condition (being late) is met.

How is the condition expressed in hvis jeg er sen, and what does it translate to?

Hvis jeg er sen breaks down as follows: hvis means "if", jeg means "I", and er sen translates to "am late." Together, they form a conditional clause that tells the listener what to do if the speaker turns out to be late.

How does the word order and structure in this Norwegian sentence compare to English commands with conditions?

The overall structure is quite similar to English. Like in the sentence "Please start the meeting without me if I am late," the polite request (Vær så snill) is issued first, followed by the imperative command (begynn møtet), and then the condition (hvis jeg er sen). This similarity in ordering helps English speakers grasp the meaning more easily.