Barnen går på trottoaren, men hon cyklar på cykelbanan.

Barnen is the definite plural form of barn.

• ett barn = a child
• barn = children
• barnen = the children

So Barnen går på trottoaren means The children are walking on the sidewalk, not just Children are walking...

In Swedish, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word like the in English.

• en trottoar = a sidewalk

• trottoaren = the sidewalk

• en cykelbana = a bike lane / cycle path
• cykelbanan = the bike lane

The ending changes depending on the noun and its form, but the main idea is that the noun itself carries the meaning of the.

That is the normal present tense form for many Swedish verbs.

• gå = to walk / go

• går = walks / is walking / walk / are walking

• cykla = to cycle
• cyklar = cycles / is cycling / cycle / are cycling

Swedish present tense does not change according to the subject:

• jag går
• du går
• hon går
• barnen går

The verb form stays the same.

Literally, gå can mean both go and walk, depending on context. In this sentence, because it contrasts with cyklar and refers to being on the sidewalk, går is best understood as walks / are walking.

So here it is specifically about moving on foot.

På often means on, but Swedish uses prepositions a little differently from English. Here it is the natural choice for both:

• på trottoaren = on the sidewalk
• på cykelbanan = on the bike lane / cycle path

So the repetition is completely normal. Swedish often uses the same preposition in places where English might also use on, but sometimes Swedish prepositions do not match English exactly, so it is best to learn them as part of the phrase.

Because cykelbanan is definite: the bike lane. The sentence is talking about a specific bike lane, not just any bike lane.

Compare:

• på cykelbanan = on the bike lane
• på en cykelbana = on a bike lane

The sentence chooses the definite form, so it refers to a particular sidewalk and a particular bike lane.

Men means but.

It connects the two parts of the sentence:

• Barnen går på trottoaren
• men hon cyklar på cykelbanan

It shows a contrast: the children are walking, but she is cycling.

After men, Swedish usually keeps normal main clause word order:

• hon cyklar

That means subject + verb, just like in English.

Swedish often puts the verb in second position in main clauses, but here the first position is occupied by the subject hon, so the verb comes right after it.

If another element came first, the word order would change:

• På cykelbanan cyklar hon.

There, På cykelbanan is first, so the verb cyklar must come before hon.

Because Swedish does not usually form the present progressive the way English does.

English:

• The children walk
• The children are walking

Swedish often uses the same present tense form for both ideas:

• Barnen går

So går can mean either walk or are walking, depending on context.

Yes. Swedish very often combines related nouns into one compound word.

• cykel = bicycle
• bana = lane / path / track
• cykelbana = bike lane / cycle path
• cykelbanan = the bike lane

This is extremely common in Swedish, and English speakers often need to get used to writing such combinations as a single word.

Yes, it matters because it affects forms like the indefinite article and the definite ending.

These nouns are common gender (en words):

• en trottoar
• en cykelbana

That is why their definite singular forms are:

• trottoaren
• cykelbanan

However, barn is an ett word:

• ett barn

Its plural behaves a little differently:

• barn = children
• barnen = the children

So gender and noun class do matter for forming correct noun forms.

The comma separates two main clauses:

• Barnen går på trottoaren
• men hon cyklar på cykelbanan

In Swedish, punctuation around conjunctions like men can vary a bit depending on style, but a comma here is natural and clear, especially because the sentence contains two full clauses.

Yes, but it changes the nuance slightly.

• går = walk / are walking / go on foot
• promenerar = take a walk / stroll / are walking for the purpose of walking

Går is broader and more neutral.
Promenerar sounds more specifically like walking as an activity.

So in this sentence, går is the simpler and more natural choice unless you specifically want the idea of strolling.

No, in normal sentences Swedish usually requires the subject pronoun.

So you say:

• hon cyklar = she cycles / she is cycling

You would not normally drop hon the way some languages do. Swedish generally needs an explicit subject in standard statements.

Yes, depending on context and natural English style, the best translation may be on or along.

Swedish uses på here in a very ordinary way for being and moving on those surfaces or routes. In English:

• walking on the sidewalk
• walking along the sidewalk

Both can work depending on emphasis. The Swedish sentence itself is straightforward and does not strongly force one or the other.