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Hvem som helst kan ringe oss i kveld.

Hvem som helst kan ringe oss i kveld.
Anyone can call us tonight.
FromLesson 30inHardcore Norwegian

Breakdown of Hvem som helst kan ringe oss i kveld.

i
in
kunne
can
ringe
to call
oss
us
kvelden
the evening
hvem som helst
anyone

Questions & Answers about Hvem som helst kan ringe oss i kveld.

Why is there a som in hvem som helst? Can I just say hvem helst?

In modern standard Norwegian, som is part of a fixed pattern: question word + som helst = “any … at all.” So you normally say:

  • hvem som helst (anyone)
  • hva som helst (anything)
  • hvor som helst (anywhere)
  • når som helst (anytime)
  • hvilken/hvilket/hvilke som helst (any … + noun)

You may occasionally see hvem helst in older texts or certain dialects, but the safe, standard form is with som: hvem som helst.

Is hvem som helst the same as “everyone”?

Not exactly.

  • hvem som helst emphasizes that there are no restrictions: “anyone (who wants to).”
  • alle means “everyone (all people).”

So:

  • Hvem som helst kan ringe oss i kveld. = Anyone is free to call us tonight (open invitation).
  • Alle kan ringe oss i kveld. = Everyone can call us tonight (all people have that ability/permission).

They often overlap in meaning, but the nuance is different.

What’s the word order here? Does the V2 rule apply?

Yes. Norwegian main clauses are V2 (the finite verb is in second position). Here, the subject is Hvem som helst and the verb kan is second:

  • Hvem som helst kan ringe oss i kveld.

If you front the time phrase, the verb still stays second:

  • I kveld kan hvem som helst ringe oss.
Why is it kan ringe and not kan å ringe?

Norwegian modal verbs take a bare infinitive (no å):

You add å with non-modals or certain expressions:

  • har lov til å ringe, prøver å ringe.
Should it be ringe oss or ringe til oss?

Both are accepted.

  • ringe noen (call someone) is very common and perfectly natural.
  • ringe til noen also occurs and is fine.

Do not confuse with:

  • ringe på (døra) = ring the doorbell.
Why is it oss and not vi?

Vi is the subject form (we), oss is the object form (us). After a verb or a preposition, you use oss:

  • De ringer oss.
  • ringe til oss, hos oss, fra oss.
How would I say “not just anyone” here?

You can use:

  • Ikke hvem som helst kan ringe oss i kveld. (Not just anyone can call us tonight.)
  • Det er ikke hvem som helst som kan ringe oss i kveld. (More idiomatic in many contexts.)
Does kan here mean ability or permission?

It can mean either, depending on context. In invitations or rules, kan often implies permission (“may”):

  • To make permission explicit: Hvem som helst har lov til å ringe oss i kveld.
  • To stress ability: Hvem som helst kan (klarer å) ringe oss i kveld (rarely needed—context usually suffices).
What’s the difference between i kveld, i natt, and på kvelden?
  • i kveld = this evening/tonight (the evening hours of today).
  • i natt = tonight (the nighttime hours, usually after you’ve gone to bed).
  • på kvelden (or om kvelden) = in the evening(s) in general/habitually.

For a phone call later today, i kveld is the usual choice.

Can I move the object to the front for emphasis?

Yes, but fronting a pronoun object sounds marked in everyday speech:

  • Neutral: Hvem som helst kan ringe oss i kveld.
  • Emphatic/marked: Oss kan hvem som helst ringe i kveld. (possible, but stylistically heavy)
What other “X som helst” patterns should I know?
  • hva som helst: Du kan spørre om hva som helst. (You can ask about anything.)
  • hvor som helst: Vi kan møtes hvor som helst. (We can meet anywhere.)
  • når som helst: Ring meg når som helst. (Call me anytime.)
  • hvilken/hvilket/hvilke som helst
    • noun: Velg hvilken som helst dag. (Choose any day.)
Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?
  • hvem: the H is silent; say it like “vem.”
  • kveld: pronounce the initial “kv” together; the “ld” is pronounced in many accents (some may soften it).
  • ringe: the “ng” is like in English “sing,” and final “-e” is a light schwa-like vowel.
  • In all hv- words (hva, hvem, hvor, hvilken), the H is silent in standard speech.
Is there a more formal way to express the same idea?
  • Enhver kan ringe oss i kveld. (“Any person/everyone may call us tonight.”) This sounds more formal/bookish.
  • Colloquial alternatives: Alle kan ringe oss i kveld., Det er fritt fram å ringe oss i kveld. (open invitation)
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