Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Det er vanlig at vi hilser på hverandre før møtet begynner. - It is common that we greet each other before the meeting starts.

det is a dummy or expletive subject (like it in English) that you need to start impersonal expressions. at introduces the subordinate clause (like that in English). So Det er vanlig at literally means It’s common that, or more naturally It’s usual for… that.

Why is vanlig not inflected after er?

In a predicative position after a copula such as er, adjectives remain uninflected in their indefinite form. You say det er vanlig (not det er vanlige).

Can we replace at vi hilser på hverandre with the infinitive construction å hilse på hverandre? What changes?

Yes. You can say Det er vanlig å hilse på hverandre før møtet begynner. The infinitive version is more general and doesn’t explicitly mention vi, while the at-clause highlights the specific subject vi. The overall meaning stays essentially the same.

Why is the preposition på needed in hilser på hverandre? Would hilser hverandre work?

In Norwegian, hilse på noen is the standard way to say greet someone. Hilse by itself often means send one’s regards or salute. To express the act of physically greeting, you need på: hilser på hverandre.

Why do we use hverandre instead of oss in this sentence?

hverandre literally means each other and marks a reciprocal action between the participants. oss simply means us and doesn’t carry that reciprocal sense.

Why is møtet in the definite form here instead of et møte?

Because we refer to a specific meeting (the one about to start), we use the definite form møtet. If we spoke of any meeting in general, we could say før et møte begynner.

Can we omit begynner and just say før møtet? Is that correct?

Yes. You can say Det er vanlig at vi hilser på hverandre før møtet. In that case, før møtet functions as a prepositional time expression (before the meeting) and the verb begynner is understood.

Can other words replace vanlig, such as normalt or tradisjonelt? What nuances change?

Yes. For example:
• Det er normalt at… (“It’s normal that…”) focuses on what’s considered typical behavior.
• Det er tradisjonelt at… (“It’s traditional that…”) emphasizes custom or tradition.
Each choice adds a slightly different flavor.

What’s a more colloquial way to say this sentence in everyday Norwegian?

You might use adverbs and infinitives for a more conversational tone:
• Vi pleier å hilse på hverandre før møtet starter.
• Vi hilser vanligvis på hverandre før møtet starter.