Etter alt å dømme fungerer ikke låssylinderen.

Apparently, the lock cylinder does not work.

Breakdown of Etter alt å dømme fungerer ikke låssylinderen.

• ikke: not
• fungere: to work (to function)
• låssylinderen: the lock cylinder
• etter alt å dømme: apparently; by all indications

Questions & Answers about Etter alt å dømme fungerer ikke låssylinderen.

What does Etter alt å dømme mean as a whole?

It is an idiomatic expression meaning judging by everything, all things considered, or by all appearances.

In this sentence, it introduces the speaker’s conclusion based on the available evidence:

• Etter alt å dømme fungerer ikke låssylinderen.
• Judging by everything / By all appearances, the lock cylinder isn’t working.

You usually should learn Etter alt å dømme as a fixed phrase, not translate it word-for-word.

Why does etter mean something like judging by here? I thought it meant after.

You’re right that etter very often means after. But like many prepositions, it can have several meanings depending on context.

In Etter alt å dømme, it does not mean time-related after. Instead, it is part of an established expression that means something like:

• based on
• according to
• judging from

So although etter often means after, in this expression you should think of the whole phrase as an idiom.

Why is it alt å dømme? What is å dømme doing there?