Kan du andas lugnt genom näsan?

In Swedish, yes/no questions usually start with the verb.

• Du kan andas lugnt genom näsan. = statement: You can breathe calmly through the nose.
• Kan du andas lugnt genom näsan? = question: Can you breathe calmly through the nose?

So the word order changes to show that it is a question.

It can be either, depending on context.

• In a neutral situation, it can ask about ability: Are you able to do this?
• In a medical, teaching, or coaching situation, it often works as a polite request: Can you / Could you please do this?

So this sentence could mean either:

• Are you able to breathe calmly through your nose?
• Please breathe calmly through your nose.

The exact meaning depends on tone and situation.

Because kan is a modal verb, and modal verbs in Swedish are followed by the infinitive without att.

So you say:

• kan andas
• vill andas
• måste andas

Not:

• kan att andas

This is similar to English, where we say can breathe, not can to breathe.

No. Andas is not passive here.

It is a deponent verb, which means it has an -s form but an active meaning. So andas simply means to breathe.

That can feel strange to English speakers, because an -s ending in Swedish often looks like a passive form. But in this case, andas is just the normal dictionary form of the verb.

Because lugnt is the form used adverbially here.

• lugn = calm
• lugnt = calmly / in a calm way

In this sentence, lugnt describes how someone breathes, so it functions like an adverb:

• andas lugnt = breathe calmly

A useful pattern is that Swedish often uses the neuter form of an adjective as an adverb.

Because andas lugnt is the most natural way to say breathe calmly in Swedish.

The adverb often comes after the verb it describes in a simple phrase like this.

• andas lugnt genom näsan = natural
• lugnt andas genom näsan = possible in some contexts, but less neutral
• Kan du lugnt andas genom näsan? = possible, but it puts more emphasis on lugnt

So the sentence uses the most ordinary, natural word order.

In Swedish, the definite article is often added as an ending instead of being a separate word.

• näsa = nose
• näsan = the nose

So näsan already includes the meaning of the nose.

Because with body parts, Swedish often uses the definite form when it is obvious whose body part is meant.

So:

• genom näsan = through the nose
• often understood as through your nose, if the person being spoken to is obvious

Using din näsa is possible, but it sounds more explicit or contrastive. In most normal situations, näsan is the natural choice.

Genom means through.

So genom näsan means that the air passes through the nose.

This is the normal preposition to use with breathing in this context:

• andas genom näsan = breathe through the nose
• andas genom munnen = breathe through the mouth

If you want to be more direct, you can use the imperative:

• Andas lugnt genom näsan. = Breathe calmly through the nose.

If you are speaking to more than one person, or in a more formal/plural way, use ni instead of du:

• Kan ni andas lugnt genom näsan?

In modern Swedish, du is the normal way to address one person.