Learn Hardcore Swedish: Kunden vars möte vi avbokade vill prata imorgon. - The customer whose meeting we canceled wants to talk tomorrow.

vars is the possessive relative pronoun meaning “whose.” It links the head noun (kunden) to the possessed noun (möte) inside the relative clause. It’s invariable (same form for singular/plural, common/neuter, people/things).

Can I say Kunden vars möte som vi avbokade?

In standard Swedish, no. After vars + noun, you normally don’t add som. You’ll hear vars … som … in some speech when that possessed noun is the subject of the clause, but it’s not recommended in careful writing—and in this sentence the possessed noun (möte) is the object, so adding som would sound wrong.

Why is it vi avbokade (subject–verb) and not avbokade vi in that clause?

Because it’s a relative (subordinate) clause. Swedish main clauses are V2 (finite verb in second position), but subordinate clauses use subject–verb order. So:

Main clause: Idag avbokade vi mötet.
Subordinate clause: … att vi avbokade mötet / … vars möte vi avbokade

Why is it möte (indefinite) after vars and not mötet?

After vars, the possessed noun is normally in the indefinite form. The definiteness is already expressed by the head noun (kunden) and the possessive relation: kunden vars möte …, not kunden vars mötet …

How can I rephrase this to avoid using vars?

Common alternatives:

Kunden som vi ställde in mötet med vill prata imorgon.
Kunden som vi avbokade mötet med vill prata imorgon. These mean essentially “the customer that we canceled the meeting with …” and are very idiomatic in speech.

Should I use avboka or ställa in for “cancel”?

Both can work, with nuance:

avboka (boka av): cancel a booking/reservation/appointment (very common with meetings).
ställa in: call off an event that was planned (classes, flights, meetings). Either is fine here. Many speakers say ställa in mötet; avboka mötet is also natural.

Does prata need a “with” phrase? Why is there no med?

prata can be intransitive, so vill prata is fine (“wants to talk”). If you want to specify whom, add med:

vill prata med dig/oss/er

Where can I put imorgon? Is fronting it okay?

Yes. Typical placements:

Neutral: … vill prata imorgon.
Fronted (V2 rule applies): Imorgon vill kunden vars möte vi avbokade prata. Don’t do: Imorgon kunden … vill prata (verb must be in second position).

Is it imorgon or i morgon?

Both are accepted. imorgon is common in modern usage; some style guides still prefer i morgon. Choose one and be consistent.

Do I need commas around the vars-clause?

No. This is a restrictive relative clause (it identifies which customer), so no comma in Swedish. Commas would suggest non-restrictive “by the way” information, which changes the meaning.

Could I use present perfect (har avbokat) instead of preterite (avbokade)?

Yes, with a nuance:

vi avbokade: simple past event, often with a past time frame.
vi har avbokat: past event with current relevance/connection to now. Both are possible; pick based on context.

Where would inte go if I want “… whose meeting we didn’t cancel”?

In subordinate clauses, inte comes before the finite verb:

Kunden vars möte vi inte avbokade vill prata imorgon. Contrast main clause: Vi avbokade inte mötet.

What are the gender and forms of möte?

It’s an ett-word:

Singular: ett möte (indef.), mötet (def.)
Plural: möten (indef.), mötena (def.)

Is avboka separable like boka av? Which should I use?

Both exist and mean the same:

avboka mötet (prefixed verb)
boka av mötet (particle verb) Both are common; boka av may sound a bit more colloquial. Use either.

How would this look in the plural?

Kunderna vars möten vi avbokade vill prata imorgon. Note: vars doesn’t change; the possessed noun (möten) goes plural.

Pronunciation tips for key words?

vars: in many accents, rs becomes a retroflex “sh” sound: approx “varsh”.
möte: ö like German/French “eu/ö”; stress on the first syllable: “MÖ-te”.
imorgon: stress on the second syllable: i-MOR-gon; hard g.
avbokade: long a in av, long o in bo: “AAV-boo-ka-de”.
kunden: short rounded u (like Swedish “hund”); stress on kun.

(These are approximations; regional variation exists.)

Can I express it with a passive, like “… whose meeting was canceled”?

Yes:

Kunden vars möte avbokades vill prata imorgon. Or with “became (got) canceled”:
Kunden vars möte blev inställt/avbokat vill prata imorgon.

Why Kunden (suffix -en) and not den kund?

Swedish marks definiteness primarily with a suffix: kund → kunden. With an adjective you add a preceding article too: den arga kunden. Here there’s no adjective, so the suffix alone is correct.