Breakdown of Den regeln är nödvändig när alla vill prata samtidigt.
Questions & Answers about Den regeln är nödvändig när alla vill prata samtidigt.
Swedish uses “double definiteness” with demonstratives and some determiners: you add both the demonstrative (den) and the definite ending on the noun (-en: regeln).
- Den regeln = that specific rule (pointing to one previously known in the context).
- Regeln = the rule (definite, but not explicitly pointing).
Both are correct; choose Den regeln when you want to single out that particular rule. In everyday speech, many prefer Den här regeln (“this rule”) or Den där regeln (“that rule”) for clarity.
- den
- definite noun (e.g., den regeln): points to a specific one; a bit more written/neutral.
- den här: “this,” very common in speech: den här regeln.
- den där: “that,” very common in speech: den där regeln.
- denna
- indefinite noun (e.g., denna regel): formal or written style; means “this.”
Predicative adjectives agree with the subject’s gender/number.
- Regeln (en-word, singular) → nödvändig.
- Huset (ett-word, singular) → nödvändigt: “Huset är nödvändigt” (rare context).
- Plural subjects → nödvändiga: “Reglerna är nödvändiga.”
Note: Attributive before a definite noun takes -a: “den nödvändiga regeln,” but predicative stays “nödvändig.”
Yes. behövs = “is needed” and is very idiomatic: Den regeln behövs när alla vill prata samtidigt.
är nödvändig is a bit more formal/stronger (“is necessary”), but the meaning overlap is big here.
- när = “when” (time), including habitual/general situations: “when everyone wants to talk at once.”
- om = “if” (condition) or “whether.”
Switching to om would make it sound conditional/hypothetical: “if everyone wants to talk at once.”
In a subordinate clause, it’s: subjunction + subject + (sentence adverb) + finite verb.
Here: när (subjunction) + alla (subject) + vill (finite verb) + prata (infinitive) + samtidigt (adverb).
Avoid main-clause inversion like “när vill alla prata ...” unless it’s an actual question.
Most natural is at the end: när alla vill prata samtidigt.
Other acceptable placements (slight emphasis changes):
- när alla samtidigt vill prata (focus on simultaneity)
- när alla vill samtidigt prata (also possible, a bit less common)
Starting a new main clause: Samtidigt vill alla prata changes the meaning/structure.
- samtidigt is an adverb (“at the same time”) modifying the action prata.
- samtidig/samtida are adjectives (“simultaneous” / “contemporary”) that modify nouns: e.g., samtida musik (“contemporary music”).
Modal verbs drop att before the infinitive. Common ones: vill, kan, ska, måste, bör, får, lär.
- Correct: alla vill prata
- With non-modals you keep att: försöker att prata (often just “försöker prata” in modern usage).
It means “want to talk.” For future meaning use:
- ska prata (going to / scheduled / obligation)
- kommer att prata (will, prediction)
- tänker prata (intend to)
Yes, but it changes the meaning:
- vill prata = want to talk (desire/intention)
- pratar = are talking (it’s happening)
Choose based on whether you mean desire or actual overlapping speech.
All mean roughly “everyone,” but:
- alla is the neutral standard form.
- allihop / allihopa are more colloquial/affectionate and often stress the group as a unit.
Any works here: när alla/allihop/allihopa vill prata samtidigt.
A common idiom is prata i munnen på varandra (“talk over each other”):
- Den regeln behövs när alla pratar i munnen på varandra.
Use this when you mean actual overlapping speech rather than just the desire to speak.