Vi borde börja nu.

now

Breakdown of Vi borde börja nu.

• vi: we
• börja: to start
• borde: should

Questions & Answers about Vi borde börja nu.

What nuance does the modal verb in Vi borde börja nu convey compared with måste or ska?

borde expresses a recommendation or mild obligation—“it would be wise/appropriate.” It’s softer than måste (“must,” strong necessity) and less definite than ska (“shall/is going to,” plan or arrangement). Compared with bör, which is formal and prescriptive (like “ought to” in written rules), borde is the everyday, more tentative choice.

Why is there no att before börja?

After modal/auxiliary verbs in Swedish, you use the bare infinitive (no att): borde, ska, vill, kan, måste, får, brukar, hinner, etc. So it’s borde börja, not borde att börja. Note that with kommer att, the att stays: kommer att börja.

Why is it börja and not börjar after borde?

Because after a modal, the main verb stays in the infinitive: borde börja, kan komma, vill äta. Using börjar would be ungrammatical here.

Can I move nu to the front for emphasis?