I dag är gräset för vått, så de sitter på gungan och väntar i stället för att leka i sandlådan.

Swedish normally uses V2 word order in main clauses, which means the finite verb comes in the second position.

So in:

I dag är gräset för vått

• I dag = first position
• är = second position
• gräset = comes after the verb

If you started with the subject instead, you would get:

Gräset är för vått i dag.

Both are correct, but when a time expression like I dag comes first, the verb must still stay in second position.

Yes. Both i dag and idag are used in modern Swedish.

• i dag = two-word spelling
• idag = one-word spelling

Both mean today. The two-word version can feel a little more traditional or careful in writing, but both are standard and common.

Gräset is the definite form of gräs.

• gräs = grass
• gräset = the grass

In this sentence, Swedish uses the definite form because it refers to the specific grass in that situation, like the grass here / the grass outside.

This is very common in Swedish. English sometimes uses no article where Swedish prefers the definite form.

Because gräset is a neuter noun (ett noun), the adjective must agree with it.

• en våt ... for common-gender nouns
• ett vått ... for neuter nouns

Since gräs is an ett word, you get:

• gräset är vått = the grass is wet

The extra -t is the neuter ending, and because the adjective already ends in -t, it doubles here: våt → vått.

Here för means too, in the sense of excessively.

So:

• för vått = too wet

This is a very common Swedish use of för:

• för dyr = too expensive
• för kallt = too cold
• för sent = too late

So gräset är för vått means the grass is too wet.

Because de is the subject form of the pronoun.

• de = they
• dem = them

In this sentence, de is doing the action:

så de sitter ... = so they are sitting ...

That is why de is correct.

A useful note: in spoken Swedish, both de and dem are usually pronounced dom, even though they are written differently.

på is used because Swedish says you sit on a swing:

• sitta på gungan = sit on the swing

The noun is in the definite form:

• en gunga = a swing
• gungan = the swing

That suggests a specific swing, probably the one at the playground. Swedish often uses the definite form when the thing is understood from the situation.

Yes, but the sentence as written means they are sitting on the swing, singular.

• gungan = the swing
• gungorna = the swings

So:

• de sitter på gungan = they are sitting on the swing
• de sitter på gungorna = they are sitting on the swings

The singular here may suggest they are sharing one swing, or that the sentence is just focusing on one particular piece of playground equipment.

In Swedish, just like in English, you can say wait without naming the thing you are waiting for if the context is clear or if it doesn’t matter.

So:

• de väntar = they are waiting

If you want to say what they are waiting for, Swedish often uses vänta på:

• de väntar på solen = they are waiting for the sun
• de väntar på att gräset ska torka = they are waiting for the grass to dry

Here, väntar by itself simply means they are waiting around instead of playing.

i stället för att means instead of when followed by a verb in the infinitive.

Structure:

• i stället för att + infinitive

In this sentence:

• i stället för att leka = instead of playing

So the full idea is:

• they are sitting on the swing and waiting, instead of playing in the sandbox

This is a very useful pattern:

• Han läser i stället för att sova. = He reads instead of sleeping.
• Vi gick hem i stället för att stanna. = We went home instead of staying.

Because after i stället för Swedish uses att before the infinitive verb.

So:

• i stället för att leka = instead of playing

This is different from some other Swedish infinitive constructions where att may be omitted. In this expression, att is part of the normal pattern.

Because Swedish normally says you play in a sandbox:

• leka i sandlådan = play in the sandbox

That matches the idea of being inside or within the area of the sandbox.

Compare:

• på gungan = on the swing
• i sandlådan = in the sandbox

Swedish prepositions often follow the physical image quite closely, but they do not always match English perfectly, so these combinations are worth learning as chunks.

sandlådan is the definite form of sandlåda, which means sandbox or sandpit.

• en sandlåda = a sandbox
• sandlådan = the sandbox

It is a common playground word. In British English, sandpit may sound more natural; in American English, sandbox is more common.

Here så means so or therefore.

It connects the two parts of the sentence:

• gräset är för vått = the grass is too wet
• så de sitter ... = so they sit / so they are sitting ...

It shows result or consequence: because the grass is too wet, they do something else.

In this sentence, sitter means are sitting.

Swedish often uses the simple present where English may use either the simple present or the present progressive, depending on context.

So:

• de sitter på gungan can mean they sit on the swing or, more naturally here, they are sitting on the swing

Because the sentence describes a current situation, are sitting is the most natural English translation.

Yes, that is strongly implied.

The sentence says:

• the grass is too wet
• so they sit on the swing and wait instead of playing in the sandbox

Even though it does not explicitly say they are waiting for the grass to dry, that is an easy inference from the context. Swedish often leaves such things unstated when they are obvious from the situation.