Breakdown of Barnen brukar sova tidigt på natten, men ibland stannar de vakna längre.
stanna
to stay
ibland
sometimes
men
but
barnet
the child
på
at
natten
the night
sova
to sleep
tidig
early
de
they
vaken
awake
lång
long
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Questions & Answers about Barnen brukar sova tidigt på natten, men ibland stannar de vakna längre.
What is the role of brukar in this sentence?
Brukar is used to indicate a habitual action. In this sentence, it means that the children usually sleep early at night, establishing their regular routine.
How should the phrase sova tidigt på natten be understood?
Sova tidigt på natten translates to sleep early at night. It specifies that the normal pattern for the children is to go to sleep early during the nighttime.
What does "ibland stannar de vakna längre" mean in context?
Ibland means sometimes, and stannar de vakna längre translates to they stay awake longer. This part of the sentence contrasts with the habitual behavior by showing that occasionally the children remain awake later than usual.
Why is the pronoun de used in the second clause instead of repeating barnen?
Using de avoids unnecessary repetition. Since barnen (the children) is already mentioned in the first part, substituting it with de in the second clause makes the sentence flow more naturally.
Why is the adverb ibland placed at the beginning of the second clause?
Placing ibland (sometimes) at the beginning emphasizes that the condition of staying awake longer is an occasional occurrence. It clearly differentiates the typical behavior from the exception.
What is the significance of the contrast introduced by men in the sentence?
Men means but and is used to introduce a contrasting idea. The first clause describes the usual behavior (sleeping early), while the second clause, marked by men, signals that there is an exception occurring sometimes, alerting the reader to a change in pattern.
How do the verbs sova and vakna function differently in this sentence?
Sova means to sleep, while vakna means to be awake. The sentence uses sova to describe the regular action of sleeping, whereas in the second clause stannar combines with vakna to express that the children remain awake longer than they normally do. This construction highlights a shift from their regular sleep routine.