Endurance athletes and marathon runners demonstrate immense willpower by pushing through challenging conditions. To express that something happens or remains true regardless of the circumstances, Swedish uses the word oavsett.
Oavsett with Noun Phrases
At its simplest, oavsett functions as a preposition meaning "regardless of" or "irrespective of." It is placed directly before a noun phrase.
| regardless of | oavsett |
| The athlete trains every day, regardless of the weather. | Idrottaren tränar varje dag, oavsett väder. |
| Most athletes love the marathon, regardless of distance. | De flesta idrottare älskar maratonet, oavsett distans. |
Oavsett with Question Words (No matter...)
Oavsett can also act like a conjunction to introduce an indirect interrogative clause (a clause starting with a question word). When paired with words like hur (how), vad (what), or vilken (which), it translates to "no matter how," "no matter what," or "regardless of which."
| I must run, no matter how tired I am. | Jag måste springa, oavsett hur trött jag är. |
| She keeps the pace, regardless of what happens in the race. | Hon håller tempot, oavsett vad som händer i loppet. |
| Your fitness matters, regardless of which sport you choose. | Din kondition spelar roll, oavsett vilken sport du väljer. |
Oavsett om (Regardless of whether)
If the condition involves a choice between options or a "yes or no" situation, you must combine oavsett with the conjunction om (if/whether). The phrase oavsett om translates to "regardless of whether" or "no matter if."
| Endurance is important, regardless of whether you like the distance. | Uthålligheten är viktig, oavsett om du gillar distansen. |
| You must have great willpower, regardless of whether you run or cycle. | Du måste ha stor viljestyrka, oavsett om du springer eller cyklar. |