Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Hvem som helst kan vente på venterommet, men vi holder avstand. - Anyone can wait in the waiting room, but we keep distance.

Hvem som helst = any person whatsoever, with a “no restrictions” feel. It often emphasizes openness: literally “who that is the most (free choice).”
Alle = everyone (all people). It states that the whole group has the property/permission, not the “free choice” idea.
Enhver = any/every (somewhat formal/literary). Feels more formal or emphatic than everyday alle.

Examples:

Hvem som helst kan vente. (Anyone may wait; no restrictions on who.)
Alle kan vente. (Everyone may wait.)
Enhver kan vente. (Each and every person may wait; formal tone.)

Why is som required in hvem som helst? Can I say hvem helst?

You need som. The free-choice pattern in Norwegian is wh-word + som helst:

hvem som helst (anyone)
hva som helst (anything)
hvor som helst (anywhere)
når som helst (anytime)
hvilken som helst (any/whichever)

Bare hvem helst is not standard in modern Norwegian outside a few rare, fixed expressions.

Is the word order correct in Hvem som helst kan vente …? Why is kan in second position?

Yes. Norwegian main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb is in second position. The whole subject phrase Hvem som helst counts as position 1, so the verb kan must come next: 1) Hvem som helst, 2) kan, 3) vente …

Does kan here mean “can” (ability) or “may” (permission)? How do I say explicit permission?

Kan can mean either ability or permission; here it’s permission (“may”). To make permission explicit, use:

får lov til å: Hvem som helst får lov til å vente … (unambiguously “is allowed to”)

Note: får vente usually means “has to/will have to wait,” not permission, so avoid it for “may wait.”

Why på venterommet and not i venterommet?

Both occur, but på venterommet is the idiomatic default for “at/in the waiting room” as a place/institution. I venterommet can be used when you mean physically inside the room, and many speakers use both. Regional habits vary, but you’re safe with på venterommet in this context.

Isn’t vente på “to wait for”? Could the sentence be misread as “wait for the waiting room”?

Good catch. Vente på + object does mean “wait for (something/someone),” e.g., vente på bussen. In your sentence, på belongs to the location phrase på venterommet. Norwegians won’t read it as “wait for the waiting room” because:

If it were “wait for,” you’d expect a direct object that makes sense (e.g., på legen, “for the doctor”).
Location PPs like på venterommet are common and clear.

You can even combine both:

Vi venter på bussen på venterommet. (We’re waiting for the bus in the waiting room.)

Why is venterommet one word, and what’s the -et ending?

Norwegian writes compound nouns as one word:

vente (to wait) + rom (room) → venterom (waiting room)

It’s a neuter noun (like et rom), so the definite singular is formed with the suffix -et:

et venterom → venterommet (“the waiting room”)

Could I say på et venterom instead of på venterommet?

Yes, if you mean any waiting room in general. På venterommet points to a specific, contextually known room (e.g., “our” waiting room). On a clinic sign you’d typically see the definite form because it refers to the particular facility: Vent på venterommet.

Why is there a comma before men? Do I ever put a comma after men?

Comma before men: standard when it connects two independent clauses. Here both parts can stand alone.
Comma after men: normally no. You’d only use one after men if there’s a parenthetical element immediately following (e.g., Men, som sagt, …). In your sentence: …, men vi holder avstand. is correct.

Why avstand without an article? Would vi holder avstanden be wrong?

Holde avstand is a fixed collocation using bare singular (no article), meaning “keep distance (in general).” Use the definite form when you refer to a specific, known distance:

Generic: Vi holder avstand.
Specific: Vi holder avstanden på to meter. / Vi holder to meters avstand.

Can I add til or fra after holde avstand? What are common collocations?

Yes:

holde avstand til (noen/noe): keep distance to someone/something
holde avstand fra (noen/noe): keep distance from someone/something
Modifiers: holde god avstand, holde en meters/to meters avstand

Examples:

Vi holder avstand til hverandre.
Hold god avstand fra andre.

What’s the difference between vi holder avstand and vi holder oss på avstand?

Vi holder avstand: neutral “we keep (some) distance,” especially about spacing in crowds (COVID-style signage).
Vi holder oss på avstand: “we keep ourselves at a distance,” often from a person/situation (more like “we stay away/keep our distance so as not to get involved”).

Any pronunciation tips for tricky parts?

Approximate Standard East Norwegian:

Hvem ≈ “vem” (the h in hv- is typically silent)
venterommet ≈ VEN-te-rom-met (stress on the first syllable; clear double m → short vowel before it)
på ≈ po (long o sound)
holder ≈ HOHL-er; many speakers don’t clearly pronounce the d
avstand ≈ AAV-stahn; final d is usually silent

Dialectal variation is normal; these will be widely understood.

Is the sentence formal or informal? Are there common alternatives on signs?

Neutral and suitable for signs. On notices you’ll often see the imperative:

Hold avstand. (Keep your distance.)
A policy statement might read: Vi holder avstand. (We keep distance.)

Any Nynorsk differences?

Yes, in Nynorsk you’d typically write:

Kven som helst kan vente på venterommet, men vi held avstand. Main differences: kven (for hvem) and held (for holder).

Could I use man instead of hvem som helst?

Yes, if you want a generic “one/you/people”:

Man kan vente på venterommet, men vi holder avstand. This is more like a general rule for people in general. Hvem som helst emphasizes “any person is welcome/allowed.”