Learn Hardcore Swedish: Erik ska ta tåget till sitt kontor imorgon. - Erik will take the train to his office tomorrow.

Ska is an auxiliary verb used to indicate a planned or scheduled future action. In this sentence, it functions much like "will" or "is going to" in English, helping to set up the infinitive ta (to take).

Why is the verb ta in its base form?

In Swedish, when you use an auxiliary verb like ska, the main verb remains in the infinitive (base form). Here, ta means "to take", showing the action Erik is going to perform.

What does tåget signify, and why is it in the definite form?

Tåget is the definite form of tåg, which means "train". Unlike English, Swedish often forms the definite article as a suffix to the noun. So tåget essentially means "the train", referring to a specific mode of transportation that Erik will use.

Why is sitt used instead of another possessive pronoun like hans?

Swedish employs reflexive possessive pronouns (sin, sitt, sina) when the possessor is the subject of the sentence. Since Erik is both the subject and the one who owns the office, sitt (the neuter form used with the neuter noun kontor) is the correct choice. Using hans would be incorrect here because it wouldn’t reflect this reflexive relationship.

What does kontor mean and why does it not have an accompanying article?

Kontor translates to "office" in English. In this sentence, it’s paired with the reflexive possessive sitt, which already indicates who owns the office, so there is no need for an additional article. Also, as a neuter noun, kontor fits naturally with sitt.

What role does imorgon play in the sentence?

Imorgon means "tomorrow" and it serves as a time expression indicating when the action will occur. In Swedish, time expressions like imorgon are typically placed at the end of the sentence.