Learn Hardcore Swedish: Tyvärr orkar hon inte, så kollegan hjälper kunden själv. - Unfortunately she doesn’t have the energy, so the colleague helps the customer herself.

Swedish main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb goes in second position. Here, Tyvärr (an adverb) occupies position 1, so the verb orkar must be position 2, followed by the subject hon.

Also correct: Hon orkar tyvärr inte (subject-first; still V2 because the verb is second).

Why is there a comma before så?

When så means “so/therefore” (a coordinating conjunction linking two main clauses), Swedish typically uses a comma before it:

Det regnade, så vi stannade hemma. This comma is standard and helps mark the clause boundary clearly.

Which så is this, and how is it different from så att or (och) så?

Here så is a coordinating conjunction meaning “so/therefore.”

så (therefore): Det regnar, så vi stannar inne.
så att (so that/with the result that): Det regnade så att vi blev blöta.
(och) så (and then), a sequence marker: Vi åt, och så gick vi hem.

Why is the negation inte placed after the verb in orkar hon inte? What happens in a subclause?

In a main clause, inte typically comes after the finite verb:

Hon orkar inte.
With fronting: Tyvärr orkar hon inte. (V2 still applies.)

In a subclause, inte precedes the verb’s nonfinite parts and follows the subject:

eftersom hon inte orkar (because she doesn’t have the energy).

Why is it hjälper and not something like hjälpar?

Hjälpa is irregular in the present. Its main forms:

Infinitive: hjälpa
Present: hjälper
Past: hjälpte
Supine: hjälpt

So: kollegan hjälper (“the colleague helps/is helping”).

Why do we see kollegan and kunden without a separate word for “the”?

Swedish marks definiteness with a suffix:

en kollega → kollegan (the colleague)
en kund → kunden (the customer)

If there’s an adjective, you also add a free-standing article:

den hjälpsamma kollegan (the helpful colleague)
Without adjective, no den/det is used: just kollegan, kunden.

Who does själv refer to in kollegan hjälper kunden själv—the colleague or the customer?

It’s ambiguous in writing:

Because själv is immediately after kunden, many will read it as modifying the object: “the customer themself.”
But själv can also emphasize the subject (“the colleague herself does it”).

To disambiguate:

Subject-focused: … så kollegan själv hjälper kunden.
Object-focused: … så kollegan hjälper kunden själv. (already leans that way)
“Alone/by herself” (unambiguously the subject): … så kollegan hjälper kunden på egen hand.
You can also write: … så kollegan hjälper själv kunden. (emphasizes that the colleague is the one performing the action)

How does själv differ from sig själv?

själv emphasizes identity or “on one’s own”: Jag gör det själv (I’ll do it myself).
sig själv is the reflexive form for third person when the object is the same as the subject: Hon hjälper sig själv (She helps herself).
In your sentence there’s no reflexive meaning, so själv (without sig) is the right word.

Can I move Tyvärr elsewhere? For example, Hon orkar tyvärr inte?

Yes. Common placements:

Start: Tyvärr orkar hon inte (sets a “comment on the whole sentence” tone).
After the verb: Hon orkar tyvärr inte (very common and natural).
End: Hon orkar inte, tyvärr (possible in speech; adds an afterthought feel).

Could I write hen instead of hon?

Yes. Hen is a gender‑neutral pronoun, widely used when gender is unknown or irrelevant:

Tyvärr orkar hen inte, så …

How do I pronounce själv and tyvärr?

själv: The sj‑ sound is the Swedish “sh/whistling” sound, made far back in the mouth; ä like the vowel in “share” (shorter). Roughly “shelv” but with the Swedish sj‑sound.
tyvärr: Stress on the second syllable: ty‑VÄRR. y is a rounded front vowel (purse your lips while saying “ee”); ä like “cat” (but slightly more open), rolled or tapped r depending on dialect.

Does the present hjälper here imply a future meaning (“will help”)?

It can. Swedish present often covers near‑future or scheduled actions:

Kollegan hjälper kunden (nu/sen). = The colleague is helping/will help the customer. Context usually clarifies whether it’s happening now or shortly.

Could I use kan instead of orkar here?

You could, but it changes the meaning:

Hon kan inte = She cannot (ability/permission/possibility).
Hon orkar inte = She lacks the energy/strength right now. In this context (being too tired), orkar is the natural choice.