Learn Hardcore Swedish: Min cykel gick sönder, så jag tar bussen.

In Swedish, a possessive pronoun takes an indefinite noun form even though the meaning is definite. So you say min cykel, not min cykeln. You also don’t combine a possessive with the definite article/determiner: not den min cykeln. Compare:

min cykel (my bike)
cykeln (the bike)
den här cykeln (this bike)

What does gick sönder literally mean, and why use gick (went)?

Gå sönder is a fixed particle verb meaning “to break, to get broken.” It’s intransitive: the thing breaks by itself. The past tense is gick sönder (literally “went to pieces/broke”). Principal forms:

gå sönder (present: går sönder)
past: gick sönder
supine: gått sönder

Can I say Min cykel är sönder instead?

Yes, but it describes the state, not the event.

Min cykel är sönder = My bike is broken (state).
Min cykel gick sönder = My bike broke (the breaking happened).
Min cykel har gått sönder = My bike has broken (focus on current result).

Why is tar (present) used when English says “I’m taking” (future)?

Swedish often uses present tense for near-future plans and schedules. Jag tar bussen can mean “I’m taking the bus (now/soon).” Alternatives:

Jag ska ta bussen (I’m going to take the bus; intention/plan).
Jag kommer att ta bussen (I will take the bus; neutral prediction).

Why is it bussen (the bus) and not en buss (a bus)?

Swedish commonly uses the definite singular for generic, shared-reference things like public transport: ta bussen, ta tåget. Ta en buss is also possible, but it suggests “one (unspecified) bus,” often when the particular choice doesn’t matter.

Can I use åker instead of tar?

Yes, but there’s a nuance:

Jag tar bussen = I’m taking the bus (choice/act of catching that mode).
Jag åker buss = I travel by bus (mode of transport; general/habitual or for the current trip). Using the definite with åka is possible when a specific bus is meant: Jag åker bussen till jobbet (that bus we both know about), but åker buss is the more neutral way to state the mode.

Do I need the comma before så?

When så links two independent clauses with a cause→result meaning (therefore/so), Swedish style typically uses a comma before it: …, så …. It marks the clause boundary and the pause, much like English.

Should the verb come before the subject after så (V2 inversion)?

Not in this construction. Here så is a coordinating connector; the next clause keeps normal S–V order: … så jag tar …. If you start a new sentence with Så as “Then/So,” you invert: Så tar jag bussen. That’s a different structure.

Could I say Min cykel har gått sönder? What’s the difference from gick sönder?

Both are correct.

gick sönder (preterite): the breaking happened (simple past event).
har gått sönder (present perfect): emphasizes present relevance/result (“it has broken and is broken now”). Context and style determine which sounds more natural, and both fit your sentence.

What are the principal parts of gå?

Infinitive: gå
Present: går
Preterite: gick
Supine: gått

Which possessive form should I use: min, mitt, or mina?

They agree with the noun’s gender and number:

min
- en-words (common gender): min cykel, min buss
mitt
- ett-words (neuter): mitt hus
mina
- plural: mina cyklar, mina bussar

How do I say “I broke my bike” (i.e., I caused it)?

Use the transitive construction ha sönder:

Past: Jag hade sönder min cykel. (I broke my bike.) You can also say Jag förstörde min cykel (I destroyed/ruined my bike), which is stronger. Don’t use bröt with objects like a bike; bröt is for breaking bones or sticks (and needs an object), not for “the bike broke.”

What’s the difference between så, eftersom, därför, and så att?

…, så … = “…, so …/therefore …” (coordinating; result).
eftersom …, … = “because …” (subordinator). If the eftersom-clause comes first, the following main clause uses inversion: Eftersom min cykel gick sönder, tar jag bussen.
därför (adverb) = “therefore”: Därför tar jag bussen.
därför att (colloquial/neutral in speech) = “because”: Jag tar bussen därför att min cykel gick sönder.
så att = “so that,” often clearer when emphasizing result or purpose: Det regnade, så att vi stannade hemma. In your sentence, plain så is perfect.

Any pronunciation tips for the tricky parts?

cykel: initial c = s-sound; y is the rounded front vowel (like French u/German ü). Roughly “SY-kel.”
gick: g before i is a y-sound; think “yick.”
sönder: ö like French eu/German ö.
så: long o-like vowel (“soh”).
jag: often pronounced “ya” in everyday speech.
bussen: u is the Swedish ü-like sound; double s is long: “BUS-sen” (with ü).

Is gå i sönder acceptable?

Not in modern standard Swedish. Use gå sönder (no preposition): Min cykel gick sönder.

Are there colloquial alternatives to gick sönder?

Yes:

Cykeln pajade (slang/colloquial for “broke”).
Cykeln gick åt skogen/åt helvete (very informal, stronger tone).
Cykeln blev trasig (neutral: “became broken”).