Hon försökte stötta sin syster, även om hon själv var trött efter jobbet.

Försökte is the past tense of försöka, which means to try.

• försöka = to try
• försökte = tried

So Hon försökte stötta sin syster means She tried to support her sister.

Swedish past tense is often just one verb form, unlike English, which may use tried, was trying, or did try depending on context.

After försöka, Swedish usually uses the infinitive without att.

• försöka göra något = to try to do something

So:

• Hon försökte stötta sin syster = natural and standard

You may sometimes see försöka att + infinitive, but it is less common here and often sounds a bit more formal or stylistically heavier. For a learner, försöka + infinitive is the safest pattern.

Yes, they are very close in meaning.

• stötta = support, back up, help emotionally or practically
• stödja = support, often a bit more formal or neutral

In everyday spoken Swedish, stötta is very common when talking about supporting a person emotionally:

• stötta en vän
• stötta sin syster

So in this sentence, stötta feels natural and personal.

Because sin is a reflexive possessive. It is used when the possessor is the subject of the clause.

Here, the subject is Hon, so:

• Hon försökte stötta sin syster = She tried to support her own sister

If you said:

• Hon försökte stötta hennes syster

that would usually mean:

• She tried to support another woman’s sister

This is one of the most important Swedish grammar points for English speakers.

Usually, yes.

In this sentence:

• Hon försökte stötta sin syster, även om hon själv var trött efter jobbet.

the most natural reading is that the same woman is meant both times:

• She tried to support her sister, even though she herself was tired after work.

However, hon by itself can sometimes be ambiguous in Swedish, just like she in English. The word själv helps strongly suggest that it is the same person as before.

Själv adds emphasis. It means herself or personally in this kind of sentence.

So:

• hon var trött = she was tired
• hon själv var trött = she herself was tired

It highlights the contrast:

• she supported her sister
• even though she herself was tired

In English, this is often where you would naturally say herself for emphasis.

Även om means even though, although, or even if, depending on context.

In this sentence it works like even though:

• även om hon själv var trött = even though she herself was tired

It introduces a subordinate clause that gives contrast.

Other examples:

• Jag går ut även om det regnar. = I’m going out even though it’s raining.
• Även om det är svårt, försöker hon. = Even though it’s hard, she tries.

Because även om introduces a subordinate clause, and Swedish subordinate clauses normally keep subject + verb order.

So you get:

• även om hon själv var trött

not:

• även om var hon själv trött

This is a key difference from main clauses in Swedish, where the verb is often in second position.

Compare:

• Hon var trött. = main clause
• ... även om hon var trött. = subordinate clause

Because hon refers to one person, and the adjective is in the common singular form.

• en trött kvinna = a tired woman
• hon var trött = she was tired

You would use trötta for plural:

• De var trötta. = They were tired.

So trött is correct because the subject is singular.

In Swedish, expressions like after work, after school, at the hospital, and similar everyday routines often use the definite form.

So:

• efter jobbet = after work / after the job / after work hours

This is very idiomatic Swedish. It does not necessarily mean one specific job in a strongly literal sense; it often just refers to the person’s workday.

You may also hear:

• efter skolan = after school
• på jobbet = at work

It is possible and natural, but Swedish comma use is often a bit more flexible than English learners expect.

Here the comma helps separate the main idea from the contrasting subordinate clause:

• Hon försökte stötta sin syster, även om hon själv var trött efter jobbet.

Without the comma, the sentence would still usually be understandable:

• Hon försökte stötta sin syster även om hon själv var trött efter jobbet.

So the comma is mainly helping readability and rhythm here.