Learn Hardcore Swedish: Vid en förkylning borde du vila hemma.

Vid literally means at/by, but in this kind of sentence it means in case of/when faced with. So vid en förkylning = when you have a cold. It’s common in advice, instructions, and headings (e.g., Vid sjukdom, Vid behov). A very natural everyday alternative is När du är förkyld.

Can I drop the article and say vid förkylning?

Yes. Vid förkylning is common in formal or instructional style (leaflets, packaging). Vid en förkylning is also fine and can feel a bit more conversational. Both are generic in meaning.

Why not say med en förkylning?

Med can be used in noun phrases like personer med förkylning (people with a cold), but after a fronted condition like this, vid is the idiomatic choice. For personal advice, Swedes more often rephrase as när du är förkyld.

Why is the word order borde du and not du borde?

Swedish main clauses are verb-second (V2). When you front an adverbial (Vid en förkylning), the finite verb must come next, so you get borde du. Without fronting, you’d say Du borde vila hemma.

Should there be a comma after Vid en förkylning?

No comma is needed. Swedish generally avoids a comma after short fronted adverbials. Some writers add one for emphasis in longer phrases, but it’s optional.

What nuance does borde have? How does it differ from bör, ska, and måste?

borde: should/ought to; a recommendation or mild obligation (neutral, everyday).
bör: should/ought to; more formal, normative (laws, official advice).
ska: shall/are to; instruction or plan; can sound stronger/directive.
måste: must/have to; strong necessity. You can also soften with skulle: Du skulle kunna vila hemma (you could/you might want to rest at home).

Is borde a past tense form? Why does it refer to the present?

Historically it’s the preterite of bör, but in modern Swedish borde functions as a modal for present-time advice. Using a past form to soften statements is common with Swedish modals.

Do I need att before vila after borde?

No. Swedish modals take a bare infinitive: borde/vill/kan/ska/måste/får/brukar/behöver + infinitive. So borde vila, not borde att vila.

Is vila ever reflexive, like vila sig? What about vila ut?

vila (intransitive) is the default: vila hemma.
vila sig exists and is idiomatic in some styles, but adds no meaning here.
vila ut means rest up till you’re recovered.
vila upp sig means rest up/rebuild strength (often after exertion).

Why hemma and not hem or i hemmet?

hemma = at home (location; adverb). Correct here: vila hemma.
hem = (to) home (direction): gå hem, åka hem.
i hemmet = in the home (the household as a place/institution); sounds formal or contrastive and isn’t needed here.

Is förkylning an en-word or an ett-word?

It’s an en-word: en förkylning, förkylningen. Adjectival: förkyld (masc/common), förkylt (neuter), förkylda (plural/definite).

Is there a more everyday way to say the whole sentence?

Yes, for speech you’ll often hear:

När du är förkyld borde du vila hemma.
Slightly stronger instruction: Om du är förkyld ska du stanna hemma och vila.

How do I negate or ask a question with this modal?

Negation: Du borde inte vila hemma (you shouldn’t rest at home).
Yes/no question: Borde du vila hemma?
With negation in a question: Borde du inte vila hemma? Note that inte comes after the finite modal (borde) and before the infinitive (vila).

Can I move vid en förkylning to the end?

Yes: Du borde vila hemma vid en förkylning. That’s fine and a bit more neutral in everyday style. Fronting it (Vid en förkylning ...) highlights the condition.

Could I say under en förkylning?

Possible, but it emphasizes the time span (during the course of a cold) and is more common in explanatory statements: Under en förkylning upplever många ... For advice, vid or när is more idiomatic.

How do you pronounce the sentence?

Approximate IPA (Central Standard Swedish): [viːd ɛn fœrˈɕʏl.nɪŋ ˈbuːɖɛ dʉː ˈviː.la ˈhɛmːa] Rough guide: VEED en fer-SHYL-ning BOOR-deh doo VEE-la HEM-ma. Notes:

förkylning has the sh-sound [ɕ] and a short vowel in the stressed syllable.
borde has a retroflex-ish [ɖ] sound.
hemma doubles the m-sound: [mː].