Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Venninnen min og jeg møtes hvor som helst i sentrum etter jobben. - My female friend and I meet anywhere in the city center after work.

Because it’s the subject of the sentence. In Norwegian, as in formal English, subject pronouns are used in subject position. So you say Venninnen min og jeg, not Venninnen min og meg. In casual speech you may hear meg, but it’s nonstandard in writing.

What’s the difference between venn and venninne?

Venn traditionally means male friend, but in modern usage it’s often gender‑neutral.
Venninne specifically means a female friend. If gender isn’t important, venn is the safest neutral option. Note that neither implies a romantic partner; that would be kjæreste.

Can I say venninna mi instead of venninnen min?

Yes. Bokmål allows two feminine patterns:

Fully feminine: ei venninne – venninna mi
Common‑gender style: en venninne – venninnen min Both are correct. The first feels more colloquial; the second a bit more formal/neutral.

Why does the possessive come after the noun (venninnen min)? Can I say min venninne?

Both are possible:

Postposed possessive (more natural in everyday Norwegian): venninnen min
Preposed possessive (adds emphasis, often more formal or contrastive): min venninne With close relations and common nouns, the postposed version is most typical.

What does møtes mean compared with møte?

møte = to meet (someone): Jeg møter henne klokka fem.
møtes = to meet each other (reciprocal, the -s form): Vi møtes klokka fem. Conjugation: møtes (present), møttes (preterite), har møttes (perfect). You can also say Vi møter hverandre, which equals Vi møtes.

Do I need kan in there (kan møtes)? What’s the difference?

Not required. Present tense can express a plan or habit:

Vi møtes i sentrum etter jobben = we’re meeting / we meet (habitually). Add a modal for nuance:
Vi kan møtes… = it’s possible/okay for us to meet.
Vi skal møtes… = we’re going to meet (arranged plan).

Does hvor som helst mean “wherever” or “anywhere”? Any alternatives?

Hvor som helst means “anywhere/wherever.” It’s very common. You’ll also see hvor enn in formal/literary styles. The pattern works with other question words too: når som helst (any time), hva som helst (anything), hvem som helst (anyone).

Why is it i sentrum and not på sentrum or i sentrumet?

i sentrum is the idiomatic way to say “in the city center/downtown,” with no article.
på senteret means “at the mall/shopping center,” a different word (senter).
i sentrumet is rarely used and sounds odd in this meaning; it might occur only in very literal senses like “in the geometric center.”

How does sentrum inflect? Is an article ever used?

As a noun: et sentrum – sentrumet (singular). Plural can be sentrum or sentra, with definite plural sentrumene or sentrene. In the “downtown” sense, Norwegians normally use the fixed expression i sentrum without an article.

Why is it etter jobben and not just etter jobb, like English “after work”?

Both are used:

etter jobben (definite) is very common and refers to the (workday/shift) you just finished or will finish.
etter jobb (no article) also works and can sound a bit more casual or generic. Formal alternatives: etter arbeid or etter arbeidstid, but they’re less conversational.

Could I say etter arbeid instead?

You can, but it’s more formal or administrative. In everyday speech, etter jobb or etter jobben is more natural.

Is the order i sentrum etter jobben (place before time) required?

No. Both orders are fine:

… møtes i sentrum etter jobben (place → time, very common)
… møtes etter jobben i sentrum (time → place) Choose the order that flows best or matches what you want to emphasize.

Is møtes interchangeable with treffes or ses?

Often, yes:

Vi møtes = we meet.
Vi treffes is similar, maybe a touch more informal.
Vi ses (or sees) = we’ll see each other/see you, common in parting. All are idiomatic; pick based on tone and context.

Is it okay to say Jeg og venninnen min instead of Venninnen min og jeg?

Grammatically yes, but many prefer to put the other person first for politeness: Venninnen min og jeg. This is similar to English style conventions.

Does venninne imply a romantic girlfriend?

No. Venninne is a female friend, non‑romantic. A romantic partner is kjæreste (gender‑neutral), e.g., kjæresten min.