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Questions & Answers about Møtet starter klokken ti.
What does the -et at the end of Møtet mean?
It’s the definite article attached to a neuter noun. møte = meeting (base form), møtet = the meeting.
- a meeting: et møte
- the meeting: møtet
- meetings: møter
- the meetings: møtene
Why is it starter and not start in the present tense?
The infinitive is å starte. For regular verbs in Bokmål, the present tense is formed by adding -r to the infinitive (if it already ends in -e, you just add -r): starte → starter. The present tense is the same for all persons:
- jeg/du/han/hun/vi/dere/de starter
Is there any difference between starter and begynner?
Both mean “starts/begins” and are interchangeable here:
- Møtet starter klokka ti.
- Møtet begynner klokka ti. Nuance (don’t overthink it): starte can feel a bit more like an initiated kickoff (machines, events on a schedule), while begynne can feel a bit more general or natural onset. For meetings, both are fine.
Why is there no word for “at” before the time?
Norwegian uses the noun klokken/klokka (the clock) to introduce clock times, so no preposition like “at” is needed:
- Møtet starter klokka/klokken ti. You can also write the abbreviation kl. before a numeral: Møtet starter kl. 10.
Can I drop klokken/klokka and just say the number?
Generally no. Møtet starter ti sounds wrong. Use klokka/klokken (or kl.). You can omit it when stating the time itself: Den er ti (It’s ten).
klokken vs klokka vs kl. — which should I use?
- klokken (Bokmål, masculine form): standard, a bit more formal.
- klokka (Bokmål feminine form; also the normal Nynorsk form): very common in speech and informal writing.
- kl.: neutral abbreviation used with digits, e.g., kl. 10. All three are correct in Bokmål in the right context.
Do Norwegians use 24-hour time or AM/PM?
- Writing: 24-hour time is standard (e.g., kl. 10, kl. 22).
- Speech: People usually say just ti and rely on context. To clarify: om morgenen (in the morning), om formiddagen (late morning), om ettermiddagen (afternoon), om kvelden (evening).
- Møtet starter klokka ti om morgenen.
Can I start the sentence with the time?
Yes. Norwegian is a verb-second (V2) language: the finite verb goes in second position.
- Klokken ti starter møtet. If you front something (time, place, etc.), the verb still comes second and the subject follows it.
How do I say “around ten,” “exactly ten,” or “by ten”?
- Around: rundt/omtrent/ca. klokka ti or ved ti-tiden
- Exactly: klokka ti presis (also presis kl. 10)
- By (no later than a deadline): innen klokka ti
- No later than (explicit): senest klokka ti
How do I negate it or say it doesn’t start until ten?
- Not at ten: Møtet starter ikke klokka ti.
- Not until ten: Møtet starter ikke før klokka ti. (means it won’t start earlier than ten)
- You can also say: Møtet starter først klokka ti. (“only/at the earliest at ten”)
How do I ask when the meeting starts?
- Når starter møtet?
- Når begynner møtet?
- Når er møtet? asks when the meeting takes place (often implies start time, but less precise).
How do you pronounce the sentence?
Approximate (East Norwegian):
- Møtet: [ˈmøːtə] — ø like French “eu” in “peur”; final -et is a weak schwa
- starter: [ˈstɑːʈər] — rt merges to a retroflex [ʈ] in much of Norway; final -er is weak [ər]
- klokken: [ˈklɔkːən] — double kk = long k; o like British “off”
- ti: [tiː] — like English “tee” Other dialects may pronounce rt as separate sounds.
Do I capitalize any of these words?
No. Norwegian does not capitalize common nouns. Capitalize the first word of the sentence and proper names only:
- Møtet starter klokka ti.
- Not: ~Møtet Starter Klokka Ti~
How can I type the letter ø?
- Phone/tablet: long-press the letter o and choose ø.
- Windows: hold Alt and type 0248 for ø (0216 for Ø), or add the Norwegian keyboard.
- Mac: Option+o for ø, Shift+Option+o for Ø.
- Linux: use a Compose key (Compose, then o, then /), or switch to a Norwegian layout.
Is this Bokmål or Nynorsk, and how would it look in Nynorsk?
It’s Bokmål. In Nynorsk you’d typically write:
- Møtet startar klokka ti. (or Møtet byrjar klokka ti.) Nynorsk uses -ar in the present (startar) and prefers klokka.
How do I express minutes like “half past” and “quarter to” in Norwegian?
- 10:05 = fem over ti
- 10:15 = kvart over ti
- 10:30 = halv elleve (literally “half eleven,” i.e., halfway to eleven)
- 10:45 = kvart på elleve
- 09:55 = fem på ti Used with events: Møtet starter halv elleve.
Is it okay to write 10.00 instead of 10:00?
Both formats occur. You’ll see kl. 10, kl. 10.00, and kl. 10:00. Style guides differ; schedules often just use kl. 10 or 10:00.