Varenda bandmedlem kan sjunga refrängen.

Varenda means every single or each and every. It is very close to varje (every), but varenda is usually a bit more emphatic.

So:

• varje bandmedlem = every band member
• varenda bandmedlem = every single band member

In many contexts, both work, but varenda can feel slightly stronger or more expressive.

After varenda, Swedish uses a singular countable noun.

So you say:

• Varenda bandmedlem
• not Varenda bandmedlemmar

This is similar to English every band member, where member is also singular.

Even though the meaning refers to all the members, the grammar stays singular.

Swedish forms compound nouns very freely, much more than English does.

So:

• band = band
• medlem = member
• bandmedlem = band member

In English, we usually write these as separate words, but in Swedish they are often written as a single compound word.

This is completely normal in Swedish:

• fotbollslag = football team
• sommarjobb = summer job
• tandborste = toothbrush

So bandmedlem is just a standard Swedish compound noun.

In Swedish, modal verbs like kan are followed directly by the infinitive, without att.

So:

• kan sjunga = can sing
• vill sjunga = want to sing
• måste sjunga = must sing

Not:

• kan att sjunga

This works much like English, where we say can sing, not can to sing.

Kan sjunga usually means can sing in the sense of is able to sing or knows how to sing.

So the sentence suggests that every band member has the ability to sing the chorus.

This is a little different from simply saying:

• Varenda bandmedlem sjunger refrängen = every band member sings the chorus

That version sounds more like something that actually happens, while kan sjunga focuses on ability or possibility.

Refrängen is the definite form of refräng.

• en refräng = a chorus
• refrängen = the chorus

Swedish often adds the definite article as an ending on the noun instead of using a separate word like the.

So:

• refräng = chorus
• refrängen = the chorus

In this sentence, it refers to a specific chorus, so the definite form is used.

Because refräng is a common gender noun, one of the noun types that take -en in the singular definite form.

So the pattern is:

• en refräng = a chorus
• refrängen = the chorus

This is very common with en-words:

• en sång → sången
• en medlem → medlemmen
• en refräng → refrängen

You may also notice the accent mark in refräng. It stays in the spelling when endings are added.

Swedish follows the V2 rule in main clauses, which means the finite verb usually comes in the second position.

Here the sentence starts with the subject:

• Varenda bandmedlem = position 1
• kan = position 2

So the structure is:

Varenda bandmedlem + kan + sjunga refrängen

This is normal Swedish word order.

If you move something else to the front, the verb still stays second:

• I refrängen kan varenda bandmedlem sjunga.

So the exact first element can change, but the finite verb tends to stay in second position.

Yes, absolutely.

• Varenda bandmedlem kan sjunga refrängen
• Alla bandmedlemmar kan sjunga refrängen

Both can mean roughly the same thing, but they feel slightly different:

• alla bandmedlemmar = all the band members
• varenda bandmedlem = every single band member

Varenda puts more focus on the individuals one by one. It can sound a bit more emphatic.

So if you want to stress that not a single member is excluded, varenda is a great choice.

It is mainly used with singular countable nouns.

Good examples:

• varenda dag = every single day
• varenda elev = every single student
• varenda bandmedlem = every single band member

It is generally not used with plural nouns or uncountable nouns in the same way.

So:

• varenda bandmedlem is correct
• varenda bandmedlemmar is not correct

That is an important pattern to remember.

A couple of things may stand out to English speakers:

1. The stress is on the last part of refräng.
2. The letter ä has a vowel sound that does not match ordinary English a.
3. The final -en in refrängen is the definite ending, and it should be pronounced clearly.

Also, the written accent in refräng is part of the spelling and helps show the vowel/stress pattern. Even if you do not fully master the pronunciation yet, it is useful to recognize that refräng and refrängen are the same word in indefinite and definite form.

Yes, but the meaning would change.

Compare:

• Varenda bandmedlem kan sjunga refrängen = every band member can sing the chorus
• Varenda bandmedlem sjunger refrängen = every band member sings the chorus

With kan, the sentence is about ability or possibility.
Without kan, it sounds like an actual action or a regular fact.

So both are grammatical, but they do not mean exactly the same thing.