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Questions & Answers about Skulle hon kunna komma snart?
Why is the past-tense-looking word skulle used here?
In Swedish, the preterite of modal verbs (like skulle, past of ska) is often used for tentativeness, politeness, or hypothetical situations—similar to English would. Here, Skulle hon kunna... softens the request: Would she be able to... rather than the more direct Can she....
What’s the difference between Skulle hon kunna komma snart? and Kan hon komma snart?
- Skulle hon kunna komma snart? = Polite/softer, indirect: Would she be able to come soon? (requesting a favor, checking possibility politely)
- Kan hon komma snart? = More direct: Can she come soon? (focus on ability or permission right now)
Both are correct; the first is more courteous.
Is it okay to have two modals together like skulle + kunna?
Yes. Swedish allows a modal + another modal in the infinitive. Common stacks include:
- skulle kunna (would be able to)
- skulle vilja (would like to)
- skulle behöva (would need to)
Why is it komma and not kommer?
After modal verbs (e.g., kan/kunna, ska/skulle, vill, måste, bör, får), Swedish uses the bare infinitive without att:
- Hon kan komma.
- Skulle hon kunna komma?
Should there be an att before komma (like “to come”)?
No. You must not use att after a modal. Say skulle kunna komma, not “skulle kunna att komma.” You do use att after many other verbs: Jag tror att hon kan komma.
Where can snart go in the sentence?
Default and very natural: at the end — ...komma snart? Other acceptable placements:
- Kan hon snart komma? (fine)
- Skulle hon snart kunna komma? (possible, slightly more formal/bookish) Avoid splitting kunna komma awkwardly. End placement is the safest.
Does Swedish need a helper like “do” to form questions?
No. For yes–no questions, put the finite verb first:
- Statement: Hon skulle kunna komma snart.
- Question: Skulle hon kunna komma snart?
Why hon and not henne?
Hon is the subject form (she). Henne is the object form (her). You could also use gender-neutral hen (subject) / henne (object).
How do I make it negative?
Place inte after the subject (and before non-finite verbs):
- Skulle hon inte kunna komma snart? = Wouldn’t she be able to come soon? For emphasis on the subject, you can front inte: Skulle inte hon kunna..., but that stresses hon.
Does skulle mean “should” here?
No. For “should/ought to,” Swedish uses borde. Skulle here is would. Compare:
- Skulle hon kunna komma? = Would she be able to come?
- Borde hon komma? = Should she come?
Could I say Skulle hon komma snart? instead?
That changes the meaning. Skulle hon komma snart? typically asks about an expectation or a future-in-the-past: Was she supposed to come soon? It’s not a polite request about ability. To request politely, keep skulle kunna.
What’s the difference between ska and skulle in a similar sentence?
- Ska hon kunna komma snart? = Is she supposed/expected to be able to come soon? (expectation/plan)
- Skulle hon kunna komma snart? = Would she be able to come soon? (polite request/hypothetical)
Pronunciation tips?
- skulle: initial sk is a hard [sk] before u (not the “sj” sound). The u is short and central/fronted; ll is long: roughly [ˈskʉlːɛ].
- kunna: hard k before u; double nn: [ˈkʉnːa].
- komma: short o; double mm: [ˈkɔmːa].
- snart: long a; rt becomes a retroflex
Does snart mean “soon” or “quickly”? What about “early”?
- snart = soon (time until something happens)
- snabbt = quickly/fast (speed)
- tidigt = early (earlier than expected/scheduled)
Are there good synonyms for snart with different strengths?
Yes:
- strax / alldeles strax = very soon, in a moment
- om en stund = in a little while
- genast / omgående = immediately (more forceful/formal)
How would I answer this yes–no question naturally?
- Yes: Ja, det skulle hon (kunna). / Ja, hon kan komma snart.
- No: Nej, det skulle hon inte (kunna).
- If responding to a negative question (with inte), use Jo to contradict: Jo, det skulle hon.
Is the word order affected if I use a name instead of a pronoun?
No. The finite verb still comes first in a yes–no question:
- Skulle Anna kunna komma snart? (same pattern as with hon)
What are the principal forms of the key verbs?
- kunna (infinitive) – kan (present) – kunde (past) – kunnat (supine)
- komma (infinitive) – kommer (present) – kom (past) – kommit (supine)
Could this structure also be used in reported speech?
Yes. Example: Han sa att hon skulle kunna komma snart. = He said that she would be able to come soon. Here skulle is future-in-the-past, not politeness.