Breakdown of Om hon har feber vilar hon och dricker vatten.
ha
to have
vattnet
the water
och
and
dricka
to drink
Questions & Answers about Om hon har feber vilar hon och dricker vatten.
Why is it “vilar hon” and not “hon vilar” after the “om”-clause?
Because Swedish main clauses follow the V2 rule (the finite verb is in second position). When a clause or other element is placed first—in this case the entire Om hon har feber—the verb of the main clause must come next: … vilar hon …, not … hon vilar …. If you start with the subject, you say Hon vilar och dricker vatten …
In the “om”-clause, why is it “hon har” rather than “har hon”?
Subordinate clauses use subject–verb order (no V2). So it’s Om hon har feber, not Om har hon feber. Only in yes–no questions would you invert: Har hon feber?
Do I need a comma after “Om hon har feber”?
Often yes in writing: Om hon har feber, vilar hon och dricker vatten. Many omit the comma in short, clear sentences, and that’s acceptable. The comma becomes more helpful as the clauses get longer or more complex.
Can I use “när” instead of “om”?
- Om = conditional “if” (uncertain whether it happens): Om hon har feber, vilar hon …
- När = “when/whenever” (assumed or known to happen): När hon har feber, vilar hon … (“Whenever she has a fever, she rests …”)
Both can work here; när sounds more habitual, om more conditional.
Can I add “så” like “then”: “Om hon har feber, så vilar hon …”?