Starten på møtet var rolig.

The start of the meeting was calm.

Breakdown of Starten på møtet var rolig.

• være: to be
• møtet: the meeting
• rolig: calm
• starten: the start
• på: of

Questions & Answers about Starten på møtet var rolig.

Why is Starten in the definite form?

Because we’re referring to a specific, known start (the start of a particular meeting). Norwegian marks definiteness with a suffix:

• Indefinite: en start (a start)
• Definite: starten (the start)

In this sentence, both nouns are definite: Starten and møtet (the meeting).

Why på in Starten på møtet, and not av?

The most idiomatic pairing is:

• starten på noe (the start of something)

You will also see:

• begynnelsen av noe (the beginning of something)
• For “the end,” both are common: slutten av/på noe, with small stylistic nuances.

So:

• Very natural: Starten på møtet
• Also natural: Begynnelsen av møtet
• Less common/less idiomatic to some ears: Starten av møtet

Why is it møtet and not møte?

Møte is a neuter noun:

• Indefinite singular: et møte
• Definite singular: møtet
• Indefinite plural: møter
• Definite plural: møtene

We’re talking about a specific, known meeting, so the definite form møtet is required.

Could I say “the start of a meeting” instead?

Yes. Use the indefinite for the second noun:

• Starten på et møte er ofte rolig. (The start of a meeting is often calm/quiet.)

Here, the statement is general, not about a particular meeting.

Can I make a compound: Møtestarten var rolig?

Yes. Compounding is very natural in Norwegian:

• Møtestarten var rolig. = Starten på møtet var rolig. The compound is concise and common in writing and speech.

What gender is start, and does it matter here?

Start is masculine in Bokmål:

• Indefinite: en start
• Definite: starten

It matters for forms like:

• en rolig start
• den rolige starten (note the adjective ending -e in definite, attributive position)

Why is it rolig and not rolige or roligT?

• Here rolig is a predicative adjective (after the verb), agreeing with a singular subject, so it stays in the base form.
• In predicative position, adjectives can take:
  • -t with neuter subjects (e.g., Huset er rødt), but adjectives ending in -ig/-lig/-sk do not add -t. So neuter would still be rolig: Huset er rolig.
  • -e in plural (e.g., Husene er rolige).
• In attributive, definite phrases, you use -e: den rolige starten.

What nuance does rolig have compared to stille or fredelig?

• rolig: calm, low-key, not hectic; can imply a relaxed atmosphere.
• stille: quiet/silent; focuses on low noise.
• fredelig: peaceful; often about absence of conflict or violence.

For a meeting’s start, rolig is the most natural choice.

Can I use intensifiers with rolig?

Yes:

• ganske rolig (quite calm)
• veldig rolig (very calm)
• temmelig rolig (fairly calm) Example: Starten på møtet var ganske rolig.

What about the verb: could I use er or ble instead of var?

• er (is) = present: Starten på møtet er rolig (sounds odd unless you’re describing a recurring or ongoing situation).
• var (was) = past (as in the original): natural for a completed meeting.
• ble (became) = change into a state: Starten var rolig, men det ble hektisk senere.

Is the word order important? Why is the verb second?

Yes. Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule (finite verb in second position). Here:

• Subject first: Starten på møtet
• Verb second: var
• Predicative: rolig

You can front another element, but the verb still stays second:

• På møtet var starten rolig.

How do I pronounce the tricky vowels?

Approximate tips:

• på: long vowel like “paw” (British “aw”).
• møtet: ø like the vowel in British “sir,” but with rounded lips; final -et is like “-eh.”
• rolig: o like “oo” in “food” (but shorter/tenser); the -ig often sounds like “-i.”
• starten: first syllable stressed; the a like “ah.”

Why “på møtet” for “at the meeting,” not “i møtet”?

For events and many institutional places, Norwegian typically uses på:

• på møtet (at the meeting)
• på skolen (at school)
• på konserten (at the concert)

I can be used in other senses (inside a physical space), but here på is idiomatic.

How do I turn the sentence into a noun phrase like “the calm start of the meeting”?

Use definite article + adjective with -e:

• Den rolige starten på møtet

How would this look in Nynorsk?

Very similar, with the adjective adjusted:

• Starten på møtet var roleg.

How do I say “the end of the meeting,” and which preposition should I use?

Both are used:

• Slutten av møtet
• Slutten på møtet “Av” is very common; “på” is also fine and often emphasizes the endpoint.

How do I say “the start of that meeting” with a demonstrative?

Use double definiteness with demonstratives:

• Starten på det møtet var rolig. Here det (that) + møtet (definite noun) is required.