Learn Hardcore Swedish: Hon kommer snart, men han är egentligen redan här. - She is coming soon, but he is actually already here.

Clause 1: Hon (slot 1) kommer (slot 2) snart.
Clause 2 after the coordinating conjunction men: han (slot 1) är (slot 2) egentligen redan här. If you start a clause with something other than the subject, you invert: Snart kommer hon; Egentligen är han redan här.

After a conjunction like men, should I invert to “... men är han ...”?

No. A coordinating conjunction like men does not itself take the first slot. The next clause still needs V2, and if the subject is first, the verb stays second: men han är .... You would invert only if something else starts that clause: men egentligen är han ....

Why is it egentligen redan and not redan egentligen?

Because of adverb order. Egentligen is a sentence adverb (satsadverbial) that comments on the whole statement (“actually/in reality”). Redan is a time adverb. In neutral word order, sentence adverbs come before time/place adverbs. Hence: han är egentligen redan här. Saying han är redan egentligen här sounds odd and unidiomatic.

Can I move egentligen to other positions?

Yes, with changes in emphasis:

Beginning (inversion required): Egentligen är han redan här. Focuses on the contrast/correction.
End (often with a comma): Han är redan här, egentligen. Sounds like a softer afterthought. Avoid ungrammatical orders like: Egentligen han är redan här (verb must be second).

What nuance does egentligen add here? How is it different from faktiskt?

Egentligen signals “in reality/as it turns out,” often contrasting with an expectation or appearance. It can soften or hedge.
Faktiskt asserts factuality: “in fact/actually (and I insist).” Both fit, but they feel different: Han är egentligen redan här (contrasts some assumption) vs Han är faktiskt redan här (emphasizes truth).

Where does snart go, and how is it different from strax or om en stund?

Placement: Time adverbs like snart typically follow the finite verb in main clauses: Hon kommer snart. You can front it for emphasis: Snart kommer hon.
Meaning:
- snart = “soon” (unspecified; could be minutes to hours, context-dependent)
- strax = “shortly/any minute now” (very soon)
- om en stund = “in a little while” (a bit later, gentler than strax)

Why is it här and not hit? What’s the difference?

här = location (“here”). Use with verbs of being: Han är här.
hit = direction toward here (“to here”). Use with motion: Hon kommer hit snart. In your sentence the second clause is about location, so här is correct.

Is the comma before men required in Swedish?

When men connects two independent main clauses, a comma before it is standard and recommended: ..., men .... If the second part isn’t a full clause, you generally don’t use a comma. Also note: after a negation with a correction, Swedish uses utan, not men (e.g., “inte X, utan Y”).

Could I use fast, dock, or däremot instead of men?

fast ≈ “though/but,” more informal: Hon kommer snart, fast han är ... (colloquial).
dock = “however” (adverb). It typically goes inside the clause: Han är dock egentligen redan här. It’s formal and can’t simply replace men with a comma in the same way.
däremot = “on the other hand” (adverb). Usually starts a new sentence or requires inversion: Hon kommer snart. Däremot är han redan här.

Why does Swedish use present tense (kommer) to talk about the future?

Swedish often uses the present for scheduled/expected near-future events: Hon kommer snart. Alternatives:

Hon ska komma snart can imply plan/intention or obligation and can sound off in simple “soon” statements.
Hon kommer att komma snart is grammatical but heavy and rarely used in everyday speech here.

How would I express the negative counterparts of “already” and “yet” correctly?

“He is already here.” → Han är redan här.
“He isn’t here yet.” → Han är inte här än/ännu. Don’t say redan inte for “no longer.” For that, use: Han är inte här längre (“He is no longer here”).

Do Swedish verbs agree with the subject?

No person/number agreement in the present tense. The forms stay the same:

jag/du/han/hon/vi/ni/de är
jag/du/han/hon/vi/ni/de kommer

Can I use the gender‑neutral pronoun hen here?

Yes. Hen is a widely accepted gender‑neutral singular pronoun. You could say: Hen kommer snart, men hen är egentligen redan här. Use hen when gender is unknown, irrelevant, or when referring to a nonbinary person.

Is “actually already” (English) natural if I translate both egentligen and redan?

English often prefers to drop or reposition one of them for style: “... but he’s actually already here” is possible but can feel heavy. Common alternatives are “... but he’s already here” or “... but actually, he’s already here.” In Swedish, having both (egentligen redan) is entirely natural and concise.

Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky words like egentligen?

egentligen: Many Swedes say it roughly like “eh-YEN-tlee-en.” The written g is usually silent; the t can be faint.
kommer: Short o (like the o in “off”), double m keeps the vowel short.
här: Long vowel, like “hair” without the i‑glide.
hon/han: Initial h is pronounced.