Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Oppmøte kreves for å få karakter i faget. - Attendance is required to get a grade in the subject.

Oppmøte is a neuter noun meaning “attendance/turnout.” Forms: et oppmøte (indef.), oppmøtet (def.). A plural exists (oppmøter), but the noun is most often used as an uncountable mass noun. Here it’s the subject.

What does the -s in kreves indicate? How is it different from krever, blir krevd, or er påkrevd?

The -s marks the present passive: kreves = “is required.”

Active: kurset krever oppmøte (“the course requires attendance”).
blir krevd is another passive (“is being/gets required”), a bit heavier.
er påkrevd/er obligatorisk/er nødvendig are adjectival alternatives; the first two sound formal/administrative.

Is the word order Oppmøte kreves normal? Can I say Det kreves oppmøte?

Yes to both. Norwegian main clauses follow V2 (the finite verb in second position).

Oppmøte kreves = Subject + Verb.
Det kreves oppmøte = Dummy “det” + Verb + postponed subject.
The “det” version is very common in rules and notices.

What does for å add? Could I just say å få?

for å introduces purpose (“in order to”). å alone only marks the infinitive. Dropping for changes the meaning.

Example: For å få karakter må du møte opp = “In order to get a grade you must attend.”
Jeg prøver å få karakter = “I’m trying to get a grade.”

Why is there no article before karakter?

få karakter is a set expression meaning “receive a grade (at all).” få en karakter is also possible but tends to mean “get a specific grade,” often modified (e.g., få en god/dårlig karakter).

Why is faget in the definite form?

Because it refers to a specific, known course/subject. i faget = “in the (particular) course.” Indefinite (i et fag) would mean “in a/any subject.”

Do I use i or på with courses/subjects?

School subjects and assessment: typically i (e.g., få karakter i norsk/matematikk/i faget).
University: both i and på occur with emne/kurset; with assessment, i is a bit more common (få karakter i emnet). Regional variation exists; på faget is less standard.

Could I say Oppmøte er påkrevd/obligatorisk/nødvendig instead of kreves?

Yes.

Oppmøte er påkrevd/obligatorisk = attendance is compulsory (formal).
Oppmøte er nødvendig = attendance is necessary (slightly softer).
All work in this context.

What’s the difference between møte and møte opp? And how does that relate to oppmøte?

å møte = to meet/attend.
å møte opp = to show up/turn up (explicit presence).
Oppmøte is the noun “attendance,” derived from møte opp.

How do I pronounce the tricky bits?

oppmøte: stress first syllable; short o + long p; ø like French “deux.” Roughly “OPP-meu-teh.”
kreves: “KREH-ves” (s is [s], not [z]).
å få: å is a long closed “o”; få has a long rounded vowel.
karakter: stress on the last syllable: “kara-TEHR.”
faget: hard g; final -t often silent in speech: “FAH-geh.”

What are the noun forms I should know here?

fag (neuter): et fag, faget, fag, fagene.
karakter (masculine): en karakter, karakteren, karakterer, karakterene.
oppmøte (neuter): et oppmøte, oppmøtet; plural exists but is rare (oppmøter, oppmøtene).

How would I say this more directly to students?

Du må møte opp for å få karakter i faget.
Det er oppmøteplikt i faget. (oppmøteplikt = attendance is mandatory)

What happens in a subordinate clause?

No V2 in subclauses.
Correct: Vi informerer om at oppmøte kreves for å få karakter i faget / Fordi oppmøte kreves, må du møte opp.
Wrong: “Fordi kreves oppmøte ...”

Are there alternative words for oppmøte?

Yes: fremmøte (Bokmål) and frammøte (variant/Nynorsk) mean the same as oppmøte. Oppmøte is very common in Bokmål.

Is å the same as og?

No. å = “to” (infinitive marker), as in å få. og = “and.” They’re pronounced differently; in many dialects the g in og is silent.