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Vi er blant venner.

Vi er blant venner.
We are among friends.
FromLesson 27inHardcore Norwegian
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Breakdown of Vi er blant venner.

være
to be
vi
we
vennen
the friend
blant
among
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Questions & Answers about Vi er blant venner.

Why is there no article before venner (no “the” or “some”)?

Norwegian normally uses a bare plural after prepositions when you mean friends in general. So blant venner = “among (some) friends” without needing to say “some.” If you want to specify quantity, you can add a determiner:

  • blant noen venner = among some friends
  • blant mange venner = among many friends To refer to a specific, known group, use the definite plural:
  • blant vennene = among the friends
What’s the difference between venner and vennene?
  • venner = indefinite plural “friends” (unspecified group).
  • vennene = definite plural “the friends” (a specific, known set). So Vi er blant venner is general/unspecified, while Vi er blant vennene targets a particular group of friends you’ve already identified in context.
Can I say Vi er mellom venner instead of Vi er blant venner?
Normally, no. Use blant for “among/amongst (more than two).” mellom is primarily “between (two),” though you may hear it with more than two in casual speech. In this sentence, blant is the idiomatic, natural choice.
What’s the difference between blant venner, hos venner, and sammen med venner?
  • blant venner: among friends (surrounded by them / in their company; social context).
  • hos venner: at friends’ place(s) / with friends (location/host context).
  • sammen med venner: together with friends (emphasizes doing something together, not necessarily surrounded by a crowd).
Can I add a possessive like “our friends,” and where does it go?

Yes. You can place the possessive before the noun or after it (the after-noun option requires the definite form):

  • Before: blant våre venner = among our friends
  • After: blant vennene våre = among our friends Both are correct in Bokmål; the after-noun pattern is very common in speech.
How would I say “among good friends” or “among my closest friends”?
  • blant gode venner (adjective takes -e in the plural)
  • blant mine nærmeste venner / blant de nærmeste vennene mine (both possible; the second is the after-noun possessive pattern)
Can I front the prepositional phrase? Is Blant venner er vi correct?

Yes. Norwegian main clauses are verb‑second (V2). If you front Blant venner, the finite verb must still be second:

  • Blant venner er vi. (emphasis on the setting) But not: ✗ Blant venner vi er.
How do I pronounce the words?

Approximate Urban East Norwegian:

  • Vi: [viː] (“vee,” long i)
  • er: [ær] (like “air” but shorter; r is pronounced)
  • blant: [blɑnt] (open “ah” a; final t pronounced)
  • venner: [ˈvɛnːər] (stress on first syllable; double n = long n; r pronounced) Note: r varies by dialect (trilled/flapped or uvular).
Does Norwegian distinguish inclusive vs. exclusive “we” in vi?
No. vi covers both “we (including you)” and “we (excluding you).” Context decides.
Why is it vi and not oss? When do I use oss?

vi is the subject form (“we”), so it’s used here before the verb: Vi er …
oss is the object form (“us”), used after prepositions or as an object:

  • mellom oss = between us
  • De kjenner oss. = They know us.
Does the verb er change with person/number?

No. Present tense of å være (to be) is er for all persons:

  • jeg/du/han/hun/vi/dere/de er Other key forms: var (preterite), har vært (present perfect), skal være (futurish).
How do I make it negative or add quantifiers?
  • Negative: Vi er ikke blant venner. = We are not among friends.
  • With quantifiers: Vi er blant noen venner / mange venner / få venner.
Is it blant or blandt? And what about iblant?
Use blant in Norwegian. The form blandt is Danish/old-fashioned and not standard in modern Norwegian. Don’t confuse blant (“among”) with iblant (“sometimes”). For “sometimes,” many speakers prefer av og til or innimellom.
Is Vi er blant venner also an idiomatic reassurance like English “We’re among friends”?
Yes. Beyond the literal sense, it can mean “We’re in friendly company; it’s safe to speak freely.”
Is venner gendered? What about venninne?
venn (plural venner) is commonly used for friends of any gender. venninne can be used to specify a female friend, and venninner is “(female) friends,” but many speakers just use venn/venner for everyone unless the gender distinction matters.