Vi kan gå till biblioteket när det regnar ibland.

We can go to the library when it rains sometimes.

Breakdown of Vi kan gå till biblioteket när det regnar ibland.

• kunna: can
• gå: to go
• till: to
• biblioteket: the library
• vi: we
• när: when
• ibland: sometimes
• det: it
• regna: to rain

Questions & Answers about Vi kan gå till biblioteket när det regnar ibland.

Why do we use till biblioteket instead of something like på biblioteket here?

In Swedish, gå till plus a destination indicates movement toward that place (“go to the library”). If the sentence focused on being at the library rather than going there, you could use på biblioteket (“at the library”). But here, till shows direction: you’re going to the library.

What does när det regnar mean, and why is it used this way?

In Swedish, när det regnar literally means “when it rains.” It expresses the condition under which you go to the library. När is used for “when” in contexts describing regular or general occasions in time, rather than a specific event in the past or future.

Is ibland always placed at the end of a sentence?

Not necessarily. Ibland means “sometimes” and its position is flexible. You can place it at the beginning, middle, or end, depending on emphasis or style:
• Ibland kan vi gå till biblioteket när det regnar.
• Vi kan ibland gå till biblioteket när det regnar.
• Vi kan gå till biblioteket när det regnar ibland.

Why do we say Vi kan gå rather than Vi går?

Vi kan gå (“we can go”) expresses a possibility or suggestion, implying that going to the library is an option under rainy conditions. Vi går (“we go”) would sound more like stating a fact about a habitual action without emphasizing the possibility.

Is there any difference in meaning if we move ibland before när?

Yes, slightly. Vi kan gå till biblioteket ibland när det regnar shifts the focus to how often you choose to go, while Vi kan gå till biblioteket när det regnar ibland puts a bit more focus on the fact that it doesn’t rain all the time—only sometimes. Both are correct, but the nuance changes a bit depending on what you want to emphasize.