Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Forresten, vi spiser middag hos henne i kveld. - By the way, we are eating dinner at her place tonight.

At the start: Forresten, vi spiser middag hos henne i kveld.
Inside the clause: Vi spiser forresten middag hos henne i kveld.
At the end: Vi spiser middag hos henne i kveld, forresten. All three are natural; the choice is about style and emphasis.

Why is it vi spiser and not spiser vi after Forresten?

Because here Forresten, is a parenthetical interjection, outside the clause, so the normal word order vi spiser remains. If you make forresten part of the clause (no comma), Norwegian applies the verb‑second rule: Forresten spiser vi middag hos henne i kveld. Both are correct; they differ only in whether forresten is inside or outside the clause.

Why is the present tense (spiser) used for a future plan?

Norwegian often uses the simple present for near-future, scheduled, or planned events, especially with a time expression: Vi spiser … i kveld. You can also use skal for an explicit plan: Vi skal spise middag … i kveld. Both are common; present can feel slightly more matter-of-fact, while skal highlights intention/arrangement.

What’s the difference between Vi spiser middag … and Vi skal spise middag …?

Both can mean we’re having dinner tonight.

Vi spiser middag … i kveld. = a set plan or scheduled event (neutral).
Vi skal spise middag … i kveld. = emphasizes intention/arrangement (also very natural). In everyday speech, they’re often interchangeable in this context.

Is spiser middag the natural way to say “have dinner”?

Yes. The idiomatic phrase is å spise middag. You may hear å ha middag in some contexts (e.g., routines: Vi har middag klokka fem), but as a general rule, default to spise middag.

Does middag always mean “dinner”?

It’s the main hot meal of the day, typically late afternoon/early evening in Norway, so it corresponds to “dinner.” Useful meal words:

frokost = breakfast
lunsj = lunch
middag = dinner/main meal
kveldsmat = light evening meal/snack

Why is it hos henne and not til henne or med henne?

hos
- person = at someone’s place/work: hos henne = at her place.
til
- person = movement toward: Vi drar til henne = we’re going to her (place).
med
- person = with (as a companion): Vi spiser med henne = we’re eating with her (not necessarily at her home). So hos henne is exactly “at her place.”

Why henne and not hun or hennes?

After a preposition, Norwegian uses the object form:

Subject: hun (she)
Object: henne (her)
Possessive: hennes (her/hers) So it’s hos henne (“at her place”), not hos hun. Use hennes only for possession: i hennes hus (“in her house”).

What’s the nuance between hos henne and hjemme hos henne?

hos henne = at her place (broad: could be home, office, salon).
hjemme hos henne = specifically at her home. Use it if you want to stress “at her home.”

Why is it i kveld and not på kvelden or om kvelden?

i kveld = this evening/tonight (specific, one time).
på kvelden / om kvelden = in the evenings (habitual/generic). So for a one-off event tonight, use i kveld. Similar pattern: i dag, i morgen, i går, i natt, i ettermiddag.

Where else can i kveld go in the sentence?

Adverbials are quite flexible:

I kveld spiser vi middag hos henne. (fronted; verb-second: spiser)
Vi spiser middag hos henne i kveld. (end) Both are natural; fronting i kveld emphasizes the time.

Can I say i natt instead of i kveld?

They’re different:

i kveld = this evening (before bedtime).
i natt = tonight/during the night (sleeping hours).
Use i kveld for dinner plans; i natt would suggest something happening later at night.

Could I drop middag and just say Vi spiser hos henne i kveld?

Yes, that’s natural and will usually be understood as having a meal there (likely dinner from context). Including middag makes it explicit that it’s dinner, but it isn’t required.

Should it be middag or middagen here?

Use the indefinite: spise middag is the set phrase for the meal in general. The definite middagen (“the dinner”) is used when referring to a specific, already-identified dinner: Middagen var deilig. In your sentence, middag is correct.

Are there alternatives to forresten, and do they mean the same?

forresten = by the way (casual, very common).
dessuten = in addition/moreover (adds information rather than a side note).
for øvrig = besides/incidentally (more formal or written). They overlap a bit, but forresten best matches English “by the way.”