Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Vi respekterer hverandres tid og planer.

hverandres is the reciprocal possessive, meaning each other's. It’s used when the possessor is a group of two or more (here, Vi) and you want to show mutual ownership or relation. So the sentence says the group respects the time and plans that belong to each person in the group, mutually.

What’s the difference between hverandre and hverandres?

hverandre = each other (object): Vi respekterer hverandre (we respect each other).
hverandres = each other’s (possessive): Vi respekterer hverandres tid (we respect each other’s time).

Can hverandres come after the noun?

No. hverandres must come before the noun.

Correct: hverandres tid
Incorrect: tiden hverandres

Does hverandres change form to match gender or number?

No. hverandres is invariable. It stays the same before singular, plural, masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns: hverandres bok, hverandres bøker, hverandres tid, hverandres planer.

Why is it planer and not planene?

planer (indefinite plural) is used for a general statement. planene (definite plural) would refer to specific, already-known plans. Here the idea is general: plans in general.

Why is tid singular while planer is plural?

tid is normally an uncountable noun when you mean time in general, so it appears as singular with no article. planer is countable and naturally plural because people typically have multiple plans.

Where does ikke go if I want to negate the sentence?

In a main clause, ikke comes after the finite verb: Vi respekterer ikke hverandres tid og planer.
In a subordinate clause, ikke follows the subject: … at vi ikke respekterer hverandres tid og planer.

How do I say other people’s time (not necessarily mutual within our group)?

Use andres, which means others’: Vi respekterer andres tid. This does not imply reciprocity within the subject group; it refers to other people in general.

Can I just say Vi respekterer hverandre? What’s the difference?

Vi respekterer hverandre means we respect each other (the people). Vi respekterer hverandres tid og planer specifies the aspect being respected: each other’s time and plans. The second is more precise.

Are there natural alternative ways to express the same idea?

Yes:

Vi tar hensyn til hverandres tid og planer (we take each other’s time and plans into consideration).
Vi viser respekt for hverandres tid og planer (we show respect for each other’s time and plans). Note the preposition for with vise respekt.

What tense is respekterer, and how do I use other tenses?

respekterer is present tense of å respektere. Common forms:

Infinitive: å respektere
Present: respekterer
Preterite (past): respekterte
Past participle: respektert
Present perfect: har respektert
Future: skal respektere / kommer til å respektere
Imperative: Respekter!

Any quick pronunciation tips?

Vi ≈ vee.
respekterer: re-spe-TEH-rer (stress on the TE syllable; clear k; r can be trilled or guttural depending on dialect).
hverandres: the h in hv is silent in many dialects; think ve-ran-dres (æ like the a in cat).
tid: teed.
og: often pronounced roughly o; the g is weak or silent in many dialects.
Dialectal variation is normal and accepted.

Is the sentence formal or informal?

Neutral and appropriate in both professional and casual contexts.

Is this Bokmål or Nynorsk? How would it look in Nynorsk?

The sentence is Bokmål. Nynorsk typically avoids the -s genitive. Two natural Nynorsk options:

Vi respekterer tida og planane til kvarandre.
Vi respekterer kvarandre si tid og kvarandre sine planar. Both are idiomatic; the first is often the neatest in writing.

Is hverandre sin acceptable?

In Bokmål, hverandre sin/si/sitt/sine is colloquial/regional and not recommended in formal writing. Standard Bokmål uses hverandres. In Nynorsk, kvarandre sin/si/sitt/sine is standard.

Does hverandres apply to both tid and planer here?

Yes. hverandres scopes over the entire coordinated phrase: hverandres tid og planer means each other’s time and each other’s plans.

Do I need a comma before og?

No. With a simple coordination of two nouns (tid og planer), no comma is used. Norwegian generally does not use an Oxford comma.

Could I use vår/våre instead of hverandres?

You could say Vi respekterer vår tid og våre planer, but that means our time and our plans (collectively), not necessarily each other’s. hverandres highlights mutual respect within the group.