Starten på møtet var rolig.

to be

Breakdown of Starten på møtet var rolig.

• møtet: the meeting
• rolig: calm
• starten: the start

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?