Kan vi lita på saldot?

Because this is a yes/no question.

In Swedish, yes/no questions are usually formed by putting the finite verb first:

• Vi kan lita på saldot. = We can trust the balance.
• Kan vi lita på saldot? = Can we trust the balance?

So the word order changes just like in English:

• We can
• Can we

Kan is the present tense of kunna, which usually means can, be able to, or sometimes may depending on context.

Here, Kan vi lita på saldot? most naturally means:

• Can we trust the balance?
• or Are we able to rely on the balance?

It is asking whether the balance is reliable.

Lita på means to trust or to rely on.

It is a fixed expression:

• lita på någon = trust someone
• lita på något = trust something

Examples:

• Jag litar på dig. = I trust you.
• Vi litar på siffrorna. = We trust the numbers.

So in your sentence, lita på saldot means trust the balance or rely on the balance.

No, normally you should not leave it out.

Lita almost always goes together with på when it means trust/rely on. It works a bit like a fixed verb + preposition combination.

So:

• lita på saldot = correct
• lita saldot = incorrect

This is something you mostly just have to learn as part of the expression lita på.

Because saldot is the definite form: the balance.

In Swedish, the definite article is often added as an ending:

• ett saldo = a balance
• saldot = the balance

So:

• Kan vi lita på saldo? would sound wrong here
• Kan vi lita på saldot? = Can we trust the balance?

Saldo is a neuter noun, so it takes ett:

• ett saldo = a balance

Its forms are:

• ett saldo = a balance
• saldot = the balance
• saldo / saldon = balance / balances
• saldona = the balances

For a learner, the most useful thing to remember is:

• saldo is an ett-word
• definite singular = saldot

Saldo usually means a balance, especially in a financial or accounting sense.

In this sentence, it most likely means something like:

• an account balance
• a displayed balance
• the current balance shown in a system

Depending on context, it could be a bank balance, card balance, bookkeeping balance, or some other financial total.

If you want to be more specific, Swedish can also use words like:

• kontosaldo = account balance
• kontosaldot = the account balance

Yes, it is natural and idiomatic.

It sounds like something you might say when you are unsure whether a shown balance is accurate, for example:

• after a delayed transaction
• when a banking app may not be updated
• when accounting figures may be incomplete

So it has a very practical, real-life feel.

You would use normal statement word order:

• Vi kan lita på saldot. = We can trust the balance.

If you want the negative:

• Vi kan inte lita på saldot. = We cannot trust the balance.

And the negative question would be:

• Kan vi inte lita på saldot? = Can’t we trust the balance?

A rough pronunciation guide is:

kahn vee LEE-tah paw SAHL-doht

A few useful points:

• kan has a short a
• vi sounds like vee
• lita has stress on the first syllable: LI-ta
• på has the Swedish å sound, roughly like paw
• saldot has stress on SAL-

So the rhythm is roughly:

KAN vi LIta på SALdot?

Yes, sometimes vi can be used a bit broadly, depending on context.

It usually means we, but in real conversation it can refer to:

• the speaker and listener
• a team or company
• people involved in a situation

So Kan vi lita på saldot? might mean:

• Can you and I trust the balance?
• Can our team trust the balance?
• Can we, as users/accountants/staff, rely on it?

The exact meaning of vi depends on who is speaking and in what situation.