Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Møtet starter klokken ti. - The meeting starts at ten o'clock.

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.