Learn Hardcore Swedish: Är hennes tåg försenat, eller ska hon bara skynda sig? - Is her train delayed, or should she just hurry?

In Swedish yes/no questions, the finite verb comes first (subject–verb inversion). The statement would be Hennes tåg är försenat. The question inverts to Är hennes tåg försenat? The same happens in the second clause: Hon ska bara skynda sig. → Ska hon bara skynda sig?

Why is it försenat and not försenad?

Because tåg is a neuter noun (ett‑word: ett tåg). Adjectives agree with the noun:

en försenad buss
ett försenat tåg
plural/definite: försenade (e.g., de försenade tågen, tågen är försenade)

Could I say Är hennes tåg sent? What’s the difference between sent and försenat?

Both are possible, but:

försenat = “delayed” in the schedule sense (missed the planned time).
sent = “late” more generally. For trains, försenat is the default when talking about timetable delays. sent is broader and more colloquial.

Why isn’t it hennes tåget?

With a possessive determiner (like hennes, min, deras), Swedish uses the indefinite noun form: hennes tåg, not hennes tåget.
Examples:

det nya tåget (definite with article)
mitt nya tåg (possessive → no definite ending or article)

Why hennes and not the reflexive sin/sitt/sina?

Use reflexive sin/sitt/sina only when the possessor is the subject of the same clause:

Correct: Hon missar sitt tåg.
In our sentence, the subject of the first clause is tåg, not hon, so you can’t use sitt there. You need the non‑reflexive hennes: Är hennes tåg försenat …

Why hon and not henne?

Hon is the subject form (“she”); henne is the object form (“her”). In … eller ska hon bara skynda sig?, hon is the subject of the clause.
Forms to remember: hon (she), henne (her, object), hennes (her/hers, possessive).

Why do we say skynda sig? What’s with the sig?

Skynda sig is a reflexive verb meaning “to hurry (oneself).” You must include the reflexive pronoun:

jag skyndar mig
du skyndar dig
han/hon skyndar sig
vi skyndar oss
ni skyndar er
de skyndar sig
Without the reflexive, skynda tends to be transitive or part of skynda på (“hurry [someone/something] up” or “speed up”).

Where do adverbs like bara and inte go in a question like this?

In main clauses, the finite verb is first in questions, then the subject, then sentence/focusing adverbs, then the non‑finite verb:

Ska hon bara skynda sig?
Negative: Ska hon inte skynda sig? In a statement (no inversion): Hon ska bara skynda sig. / Hon ska inte skynda sig.

Is the comma before eller required?

It’s optional here. You can write:

Är hennes tåg försenat, eller ska hon bara skynda sig? (comma between two main clauses)
Är hennes tåg försenat eller ska hon bara skynda sig? (no comma)
Both are standard; the comma can aid readability.

What exactly does ska mean here? Could I use borde, måste, or behöver instead?

Here ska expresses expectation/plan (“is she just going to/does she just need to hurry”). Alternatives:

borde/bör = “ought to/should” (advice): … eller borde hon bara skynda sig?
måste = “must/has to” (necessity): … eller måste hon bara skynda sig?
behöver = “needs to”: … eller behöver hon bara skynda sig?
Choose based on nuance.

Can I use kommer att instead of ska?

You can say Kommer hon bara att skynda sig?, but it sounds more like neutral future prediction (“will she only hurry”) and is less natural for asking about intention/plan here. Ska is the idiomatic choice.

How do I ask about plural “trains”: “Are her trains delayed?”

Är hennes tåg försenade?
Note: the plural of tåg is also tåg (no ending), so the adjective shows the plural: försenade.
Singular: (ett) tåg → tåget. Plural: tåg → tågen.

How do I say “Is it her train that is delayed?” for emphasis?

Use a cleft sentence: Är det hennes tåg som är försenat?
This highlights “her train” as the focused element.

Can I use gender‑neutral hen here?

Yes. Subject: hen; possessive: hens.
Example: Är hens tåg försenat, eller ska hen bara skynda sig?

Can I drop sig, or use skynda på instead?

You cannot drop sig with skynda sig; it’s required.
Skynda på means “hurry up/speed up,” often intransitively: Hon måste skynda på. It also works transitively: Skynda på processen. In your sentence, skynda sig is the most natural.

What changes if I move bara? For example, Ska bara hon skynda sig?

Placement changes focus:

Ska hon bara skynda sig? = “Should she just hurry (and nothing else)?”
Ska bara hon skynda sig? = “Should only she hurry (no one else)?”

Can I end with eller inte?

Yes: Är hennes tåg försenat eller inte? This frames it as a straightforward yes/no alternative without suggesting a second scenario.

Any pronunciation tips for tricky words like tåg, skynda, and sig?

tåg: long å ([oː]); think “toawg” with a long “o.”
skynda: sk before y is the Swedish “sj‑sound” (like a soft “sh/wh” deep in the mouth): roughly “SHWIN‑da.”
sig: the g is like English “y”; pronounced “see‑y” or “sij.”
Also: hon ~ “hoon,” bara ~ “BAA‑ra,” eller ~ “EL‑ler,” försenat with stress on “‑se‑”: “för‑SE‑nat.”