Breakdown of Efter semestern har vi beslutat att bjuda alla gäster på middag.
ha
to have
middagen
the dinner
vi
we
efter
after
gästen
the guest
alla
all
besluta
to decide
semestern
the vacation
bjuda på
to treat
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Questions & Answers about Efter semestern har vi beslutat att bjuda alla gäster på middag.
Why is semestern in the definite form rather than semester?
In Swedish, temporal expressions with efter (“after”) often take the definite form. Here, efter semestern means “after the (already known) vacation.” Using semester (indefinite) would be more like “after a vacation” in general, which is less precise in this context.
Why does har come before vi instead of after?
Swedish main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must occupy the second position. Since the adverbial Efter semestern takes the first spot, har moves to second position, and the subject vi follows.
Why is the perfect tense har beslutat used here instead of simple past beslöt?
The present perfect (har beslutat) indicates that the decision was made in the past but still has relevance now—“we have decided” and that decision stands. Simple past (beslöt) would simply state the past event without emphasising its current effect.
What’s the function of att before bjuda?
Att is the infinitive marker in Swedish, equivalent to English “to.” After beslutat, you need att to introduce the next verb (bjuda).
How does the idiom bjuda på middag work? Why use på?
In Swedish, bjuda någon på något is a fixed expression meaning “to treat someone to something.” The preposition på is part of that idiom; you can’t swap it for another preposition without changing or breaking the meaning.
Why is there no article before middag? Could you say på en middag?
The normal phrase is bjuda på middag without any article. If you say bjuda på en middag, you’re literally saying “treat [them] to one dinner,” which shifts the nuance and is less common. The bare noun is the standard way to say “treat to dinner.”
Can you also say bjuda alla gästerna på middag instead of bjuda alla gäster på middag?
Yes. Both bjuda alla gäster på middag and bjuda alla gästerna på middag are grammatically correct. The version with -na (definite plural) emphasises a specific group of guests; the indefinite plural with alla feels a bit more neutral.