Vi møtes etter prøven.

We meet after the test.

Breakdown of Vi møtes etter prøven.

• vi: we
• etter: after
• møtes: to meet
• prøven: the test

Questions & Answers about Vi møtes etter prøven.

Why is it møtes and not møter?

Because the -s form expresses reciprocal action. Vi møtes literally means “we meet each other.” The plain present møter is transitive and normally takes an object: Vi møter læreren (We meet the teacher). If you want the reciprocal meaning with the plain verb, you must add hverandre: Vi møter hverandre etter prøven.

Is Vi møter hverandre etter prøven also correct? How does it differ from Vi møtes etter prøven?

Yes, it’s correct. Both mean the same thing. Vi møtes is shorter and very common; Vi møter hverandre is more explicit. In everyday speech and writing, Vi møtes is the default.

Can I say Vi møter etter prøven to mean “We’ll meet after the test”?

Not by itself. møte without an object sounds incomplete. Use either:

• Vi møtes etter prøven (reciprocal -s form), or
• Vi møter hverandre etter prøven. Note: møte opp means “to show up/attend,” e.g., Vi møter opp klokka tre.

Does the present tense møtes refer to the future here?

Yes. Norwegian often uses the simple present for future plans when there’s a time expression: Vi møtes etter prøven = “We’ll meet after the test.”