Learn Hardcore Swedish: Jag hjälper gärna mina gäster att hitta sin resväska på flygplatsen. - I gladly help my guests find their suitcase at the airport.

Gärna is an adverb meaning “gladly” or “with pleasure.” In Swedish main clauses, adverbs of manner (like gärna, snabbt, ofta) typically follow the finite verb. By placing gärna after hjälper, you convey eagerness: “I’m happy to help.”

What nuance does gärna add compared to just saying Jag hjälper mina gäster?

Without gärna, Jag hjälper merely states a fact. Adding gärna shows the speaker’s positive attitude and willingness: “I am pleased/happy to help.” It’s more friendly and polite.

Why is the possessive mina used before gäster, and why is gäster plural?

Gäster is the plural (indefinite) form of gäst. Swedish possessive pronouns agree in number (and in gender for singular). Since you’re talking about more than one guest, you use mina (not min) plus the plural gäster: mina gäster (“my guests”).

What does the reflexive possessive sin refer to, and how is it different from words like hans or deras?

Sin reflexively points back to the subject of the clause—in this case mina gäster. So sin resväska means “their own suitcase.” If you used deras resväska, it would also mean “their suitcase,” but it wouldn’t emphasize that it belongs to the same people who are helping; it could even refer to some other group’s suitcase.

Why doesn’t sin resväska use the definite form resväskan with an -n ending?

When a possessive pronoun (like min, din, sin) precedes a noun, Swedish treats the noun as indefinite. The pronoun itself makes the meaning definite (“the one that belongs to me/you/him”), so you say sin resväska, not sin resväskan.

What is the role of att before hitta, and can it ever be omitted?

Att is the infinitive marker in Swedish—equivalent to English to in “to find.” After verbs like hjälpa, Scandinavian languages require att before another verb: hjälpa någon att göra något. You cannot omit att here without sounding ungrammatical.

Why is the preposition på used before flygplatsen, instead of i or till?

In Swedish, på is used with many public or open places: på stranden, på bion, på flygplatsen (“at the airport”). I is reserved for enclosed spaces (i huset, “in the house”), and till expresses motion “to” (till flygplatsen would mean “going to the airport”).

Why is flygplatsen in the definite form, and could you say på en flygplats instead?

Flygplatsen (“the airport”) is definite singular, implying a specific airport known to speaker and listener. If you said på en flygplats, it would mean “at an airport” (any airport). Using the definite form signals that you’re referring to that particular airport—e.g. the one your guests have arrived at.