Ropa inte på hunden nu; barnet vill hellre krama den.

Do not call out to the dog now; the child would rather hug it.

Breakdown of Ropa inte på hunden nu; barnet vill hellre krama den.

• hunden: the dog
• nu: now
• vilja: to want
• inte: not

Questions & Answers about Ropa inte på hunden nu; barnet vill hellre krama den.

What does ropa på mean here, and why is there a på?

Ropa by itself means to shout or to call out.

But ropa på is a common expression meaning to call to someone/something or to call for someone/something. In this sentence, Ropa inte på hunden means something like Don’t call the dog right now.

So på is not being used in its basic spatial sense on here. It is part of the expression ropa på.

A rough comparison:

• ropa = shout, call out
• ropa på hunden = call to the dog / call for the dog

Is Ropa an imperative here?

Yes. Ropa is the imperative form, used for commands.

So:

• ropa! = call!
• ropa inte! = don’t call!

In Swedish, imperatives often look like the verb stem, and there is usually no subject stated. So Ropa inte på hunden nu is a direct command: Don’t call the dog now.

Why does inte come after Ropa in Ropa inte?