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Vi møtes framfor teateret klokken syv på lørdag.

Vi møtes framfor teateret klokken syv på lørdag.
We meet in front of the theatre at seven on Saturday.
FromLesson 23inHardcore Norwegian
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Questions & Answers about Vi møtes framfor teateret klokken syv på lørdag.

What does møtes mean here, and why can’t we just say møte?
møtes is the reciprocal (or “-s”) form of møte. While møte means “to meet” (I meet someone), møtes means “to meet each other” (we meet each other). The -s ending marks that the action is mutual—so Vi møtes literally means “we meet each other,” which in English we simply translate as “we’ll meet.”
Why is the present tense used for a future meeting? Wouldn’t we need “will meet” or skal møtes?
In Norwegian the simple present often covers future plans when you specify a time. So Vi møtes klokken syv naturally means “We’re meeting at seven” or “We’ll meet at seven.” If you want to emphasize that it’s a plan rather than just a statement, you could say Vi skal møtes klokken syv, but it’s not necessary—Norwegians frequently use present tense for scheduled events.
What’s the difference between framfor and foran? I’ve seen both used.

Both can mean “in front of” physically.

  • foran is the most common preposition in Bokmål for “in front of.”
  • framfor is less common in Bokmål (more typical in Nynorsk, or as a conjunction meaning “rather than”).

When you’re locating something, you will very often hear foran:
Vi står foran teateret.
Using framfor teateret is not wrong, but it may sound slightly dialectal or poetic in Bokmål.

Why is teateret written that way? I would expect just teater.

Norwegian adds a suffix to mark the definite form of a noun.

  • et teater = “a theatre” (indefinite)
  • teateret = “the theatre” (definite)

Here you’re referring to a specific theatre (“the theatre”), so you use teateret rather than just teater.

Do I have to say klokken syv? Can I just say syv or write kl. 7?

You can use any of these forms, depending on formality and style:

  • klokken syv is the full spoken/written form (“seven o’clock”).
  • kl. 7 is a common abbreviation, especially in schedules.
  • In casual speech you might even drop klokken and just say Vi møtes syv if context is clear.

All are correct, but full form klokken syv is the most neutral and clear.

Why is syv spelled out instead of using the digit 7?
In running text, it’s common to spell out numbers up to twelve in Norwegian. Digits are more often used in tables, timetables or technical contexts. Writing syv in letters simply follows typical style guides for prose.
Why do we say på lørdag rather than just lørdag?

When you specify a meeting on a day of the week, Norwegian normally uses the preposition på (just like English “on Saturday”).

  • Vi møtes på lørdag = “We’ll meet on Saturday.”

If you drop på, it can still be understood in casual speech, but it’s not standard in writing. When referring to recurring events you might hear hver lørdag (“every Saturday”), but for a single appointment you use på lørdag.

Can I change the word order? What if I want to start with time or place?

Yes, Norwegian allows flexible placement of time and place, but you must remember the verb-second (V2) rule. For example:
1) Default SVO: Vi møtes framfor teateret klokken syv på lørdag.
2) Time first (inversion): Klokken syv møtes vi framfor teateret på lørdag.
3) Day first (inversion): På lørdag møtes vi framfor teateret klokken syv.
Each time you front an adverbial (time/place), the finite verb (møtes) stays in second position, pushing the subject after it.

Do we have to include Vi? Could we just say Møtes framfor teateret…?
In Norwegian declarative sentences you normally need an explicit subject (except in imperatives). Omitting Vi (“we”) would make the sentence ungrammatical or ambiguous. In conversation, you might sometimes drop it if context is crystal clear, but in writing or formal speech you should keep Vi.

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