Kan vi sluta nu?

Can we stop now?

Breakdown of Kan vi sluta nu?

• nu: now
• kunna: can
• vi: we
• sluta: to stop

Questions & Answers about Kan vi sluta nu?

What exactly does the word kan express here?

Kan (from kunna) usually means can/be able to, but it often also implies possibility or permission and functions as a polite request. In this sentence it’s best read as a polite suggestion/request: “Can we (please) stop now?” rather than literal physical ability.

Why is the word order Kan vi sluta and not Vi kan sluta?

Yes/no questions in Swedish put the finite verb first. Here the finite verb is kan, so:

• Question: Kan vi sluta nu?
• Statement: Vi kan sluta nu.

With a question word, the order is question word + finite verb + subject: När kan vi sluta?

Why is sluta in the infinitive without att?

After modal verbs like kan, ska, vill, måste, bör, får, Swedish uses the bare infinitive (no att). Hence: kan sluta, not kan att sluta.

What’s the difference between sluta, avsluta, stoppa, and stanna?

• sluta: stop/finish (doing something), often intransitive. Ex: Vi slutar klockan fem. / Sluta prata.
• avsluta: bring something to an end (more formal/explicit object). Ex: Avsluta mötet.
• stoppa: stop something/someone or stuff/put in. Ex: Stoppa bussen! / Stoppa in skjortan.
• stanna: stop moving; stay. Ex: Bilen stannade. / Stanna här.
  In your sentence, sluta is the natural verb.

How does Kan vi sluta nu? differ from Ska vi sluta nu?, Får vi sluta nu?, and Skulle vi kunna sluta nu?

• Kan vi sluta nu? Polite request/suggestion focusing on possibility/feasibility: “Can we stop now?”
• Ska vi sluta nu? Proposal about what we should do/plan: “Shall we stop now?”
• Får vi sluta nu? Asking about permission: “Are we allowed to stop now?”
• Skulle vi kunna sluta nu? Softer/more tentative: “Could we stop now?” (more polite).

Is nu necessary, and does it sound impatient?

• nu means “now,” adding immediacy. Without it (Kan vi sluta?), the sentence is less time-specific.
• Tone matters: said gently, it’s neutral; said sharply, it can sound impatient.
  Softer time adverbs: snart (soon), strax (shortly), nu direkt/nu genast (right away, stronger).

How can I make this request more polite or meeting-appropriate?

Try:

• Ska vi avrunda? / Ska vi runda av? (“Shall we wrap up?”)
• Ska vi avsluta här? (“Shall we finish here?”)
• Skulle vi kunna avrunda/avsluta nu? (more tentative)
• Add a softener: Kan vi sluta nu, tack? or Kan vi avrunda nu, tack?
  Avoid sounding brusque in formal settings by preferring ska vi… or conditional forms.

How do I say “stop doing X,” like “stop talking now”?

Two common patterns:

• sluta + infinitive: Kan vi sluta prata nu? (“stop talking”)
• sluta med + noun/pronoun: Kan vi sluta med det här nu? / Sluta med mobilen nu.

How do you pronounce the sentence?

Roughly: [kan vi ˈslʉːta nʉː]

• u in sluta/nu is the Swedish [ʉː], a front rounded vowel (like French “u” in “tu”).
• Stress falls on SLU in sluta; both sluta and nu have long vowels.
• Yes/no questions typically have rising intonation at the end.

How do people typically answer this yes/no question?

• Yes: Ja, det kan vi. / Ja, vi kan sluta nu.
• No: Nej, det kan vi inte. / Nej, inte ännu.
  Note: If the question is negative (e.g., Kan vi inte sluta nu?), a contradicting “yes” is Jo: Jo, det kan vi.

Can I use the statement order Vi kan sluta nu? as a question?

In casual speech, yes—rising intonation can turn it into a confirmatory question. In neutral/formal contexts and in writing, prefer Kan vi sluta nu?

What’s the imperative equivalent, and how direct is it?

Sluta nu! = “Stop now!” It’s a direct command and can sound harsh. Softer: Sluta nu, snälla/tack. For suggestions rather than orders, use Ska vi… or Kan vi…

How do I talk about timing variants like “soon” or “when”?

• Soon: Kan vi sluta snart?
• In a little while: Kan vi sluta om en stund?
• When: När kan vi sluta?
  Swedish often uses present with modals to refer to future time.

Why do I sometimes hear the negative version Kan vi inte sluta nu?

Negative questions are a common way to make gentle proposals in Swedish, much like English “Can’t we stop now?” It suggests the speaker expects or hopes for a “yes.” The agreeing “yes” to a negative question is Jo: Jo, det kan vi.

Do I ever need att after sluta when it’s followed by a verb?

Both forms occur:

• More common in speech: sluta
  • infinitive (no att): Sluta prata.
• Also correct: sluta att
  • infinitive: Sluta att prata.
    With kan/kan vi, you’ll still omit att before sluta: Kan vi sluta prata nu? (not Kan vi sluta att prata nu?—though you may hear it, it’s less common).

Are there colloquial alternatives meaning roughly the same thing?

Yes:

• Ska vi runda av nu? / Ska vi avrunda nu? (“Shall we wrap up now?”)
• Ska vi lägga av nu? (informal “call it a day/knock it off now”)
• Ska vi sätta punkt? (figurative “put a full stop?”)
  Choose based on context and formality.