Learn Hardcore Swedish: Mobiler används inte under mötet. - Mobile phones are not used during the meeting.

It marks the s-passive in the present tense. Base verb: använda (to use). Active present: använder (use/uses). Passive present: används (is/are used).

Why is inte placed after används?

In a main clause, Swedish is V2: the finite verb is second, and the negation inte follows the subject. Pattern here: Mobiler (subject) används (finite verb) inte (negation) …. In a subordinate clause, inte comes before the verb: … att mobiler inte används ….

Could I say Mobiler får inte användas under mötet instead?

Yes. Nuance:

Mobiler används inte … states what (doesn’t) happen; often used for rules on signs.
Mobiler får inte användas … states prohibition/permission explicitly (“may not be used”) and is stronger as a rule.

Why not say Mobiler använder inte under mötet?

Because använda is transitive (“use” something). If you make mobiler the subject in the active voice, you’re saying “Phones do not use…”. You need the passive: används (“are used”).

Can I front the time phrase? For example: Under mötet används …?

Yes. With fronting, keep V2:

Common: Under mötet används inte mobiler.
Also possible: Under mötet används mobiler inte. Both are grammatical; the first (placing inte before an indefinite subject) often sounds more natural.

Why is it plural indefinite Mobiler and not Mobilerna?

Indefinite plural is used generically (“phones” in general). Mobilerna (“the phones”) would refer to a specific set of phones already known in the context.

Are mobiler and mobiltelefoner both acceptable?

Yes. Mobil(er) is the everyday word; mobiltelefon(er) is a bit more formal. Telefoner alone can be ambiguous (could include landlines).

What does under mean here, and could I use i or på instead?

Here under means “during” (time). Alternatives:

på mötet = “at the meeting” (common in Swedish and often fine here).
i mötet usually means “in the meeting” as in “participating in the meeting,” not “during (the time of) the meeting.”

Why is it mötet with -et?

Because möte is an ett-word (neuter). Paradigm:

ett möte (a meeting)
mötet (the meeting)
möten (meetings)
mötena (the meetings)

How would I say “during meetings” in general?

Use the indefinite plural: Under möten (“during meetings” generally). If you mean specific known meetings, use definite plural: Under mötena.

How do I put this in the past?

Simple past passive: Mobiler användes inte under mötet.
Present perfect: Mobiler har inte använts under mötet.

How do I turn it into a subordinate clause, e.g., “that phones are not used during the meeting”?

… att mobiler inte används under mötet. Note that inte precedes används in the subordinate clause.

Can I express it as a sign-style instruction?

Yes: Inga mobiler under mötet. (“No phones during the meeting.”) It’s a common elliptical style.

Is there an active-voice alternative with impersonal “man”?

Yes: Man använder inte mobiler under mötet. Meaning is the same; the passive form sounds more formal/instructional.

How do I express a strict ban most clearly?

Use permission/prohibition: Mobiler får inte användas under mötet. You can also say: Det är förbjudet att använda mobiler under mötet.

Does under also mean “under/beneath” physically?

Yes. Context decides:

Time: under mötet = during the meeting.
Space: under bordet = under the table.

Where would words like “never” go? For example, with aldrig.

Place it where inte goes: Mobiler används aldrig under mötet. That says phones are never used during the meeting(s).

Why is there no word for “some” before mobiler?

Swedish indefinite plural normally has no article. Mobiler can mean “(some) phones/phones in general.” If you specifically mean “some (but not all) phones,” you can use några mobiler.

Pronunciation tips for används and mötet?

används: ä = [ɛ] (like “e” in “bed”); the “d” is often softened or not clearly released before the final -s in speech.
mötet: ö ≈ French “eu” (as in “deux”), long in mö-; final -t is pronounced.

Is Mobiler används inte på mötet also okay?

Yes, it’s common and natural. På mötet = “at the meeting,” while under mötet highlights the time span “during the meeting.” Both work in this context.