Complex Sentence Structure in Swedish

In this lesson, you will learn how to construct advanced sentences with multiple clauses and different types of conjunctions in Swedish. By understanding complex sentence structures, you will be able to express more sophisticated ideas and convey a greater range of information. Let's dive in!

1. Subordinate Clauses

Subordinate clauses play an essential role in forming complex sentences. These clauses add additional information to the main clause and are introduced by subjunctions.

Here are some commonly used subjunctions in Swedish:

• att (that)
• om (if)
• när (when)
• eftersom (since)
• för att (in order to)
• för att inte (in order not to)

Examples:

• Jag vet att du är trött. (I know that you're tired.)
• Om du vill, kan vi gå ut och äta. (If you want, we can go out and eat.)
• Nina kommer imorgon när hon har ledigt. (Nina is coming tomorrow when she's free.)
• Eftersom jag är sjuk, kan jag inte delta i mötet. (Since I'm sick, I can't attend the meeting.)

2. Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions are used to connect clauses of equal importance. They create compound sentences and allow you to express relationships between ideas.

Here are some commonly used coordinating conjunctions in Swedish:

• och (and)
• eller (or)
• men (but)
• eller också (or else)
• för (because)

Examples:

• Jag gick till affären och köpte mjölk. (I went to the store and bought milk.)
• Är du hungrig eller törstig? (Are you hungry or thirsty?)
• Han är rik men inte lycklig. (He is rich but not happy.)
• Gör läxan nu eller också får du ingen tv-tid. (Do your homework now or else you won't get any TV time.)
• Jag är glad för att du kom. (I am happy because you came.)

3. Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are used to join similar parts of a sentence. They work in pairs and serve to emphasize the relationship between different elements.

Here are some commonly used correlative conjunctions in Swedish:

• antingen...eller (either...or)
• både...och (both...and)
• varken...eller (neither...nor)

Examples:

• Vi kan antingen gå på bio eller stanna hemma och titta på TV. (We can either go to the movies or stay home and watch TV.)
• Hon äter både frukt och grönsaker. (She eats both fruits and vegetables.)
• De ville varken dansa eller sjunga. (They wanted neither to dance nor to sing.)

4. Adverbial Clauses

Adverbial clauses provide additional information about the action or situation described in the main clause. They often refer to time, place, reason, manner, or condition.

Here are some commonly used adverbial conjunctions in Swedish:

• när (when)
• om (if)
• eftersom (since/because)
• för att (in order to)
• så att (so that)
• medan (while)

Examples:

• När jag vaknade, regnade det ute. (When I woke up, it was raining outside.)
• Om du behöver hjälp, är jag här. (If you need help, I am here.)
• Jag ägnade hela dagen åt att städa huset. (I spent the whole day cleaning the house.)
• Han gav mig ett paraply så att jag inte skulle bli blöt. (He gave me an umbrella so that I wouldn't get wet.)
• Medan jag väntade på bussen, läste jag en bok. (While I was waiting for the bus, I read a book.)

Conclusion

Congratulations! You now have a solid understanding of complex sentence structures in Swedish. By using subordinate clauses, coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions, and adverbial clauses, you can construct sophisticated and nuanced sentences. Practice using these structures in your own writing and speaking to further enhance your language skills. Keep up the great work!