Setting up an urban rooftop garden requires careful planning to figure out what will actually work. To discuss whether an action is practically possible or impossible, Swedish uses the impersonal phrase det går att.
Det går att (It is possible to)
This construction translates roughly to "it is possible to," "it can be done," or "it is feasible." It is formed using the impersonal subject det, the verb går, the infinitive marker att, and an infinitive verb.
| It is possible to hoist up most containers with a machine. | Det går att hissa upp de flesta behållare med en maskin. |
| It is possible to build a sturdy windbreak against the storm. | Det går att bygga ett stadigt vindskydd mot stormen. |
To ask if something is feasible, you simply apply the standard rule for questions by swapping the subject and verb to form går det att...? (is it possible to...?).
| It would be wonderful, but is it possible to construct a rooftop garden in the city? | Det vore underbart, men går det att anlägga en takodling i staden? |
| Is it possible to hoist up the container, or is it too heavy? | Går det att hissa upp behållaren, eller är den för tung? |
Det går inte att (It is not possible to)
To express that a task is practically impossible, place the negating adverb inte directly after the verb går.
| It is not possible to build without reinforcing the load-bearing capacity first. | Det går inte att bygga utan att förstärka bärkraften först. |
| It is not possible to ignore the drainage if one wants to grow. | Det går inte att strunta i dräneringen om man vill odla. |
Remember that Swedish is a V2 (verb-second) language. If your sentence begins with an adverb rather than the subject, the verb går must take the second position, pushing the subject det after it.
| Unfortunately, it is not possible to solve the irrigation without a permit. | Tyvärr går det inte att lösa bevattningen utan tillstånd. |
Using it in Subordinate Clauses
You will frequently use this expression inside subordinate clauses, such as after "Do you think that..." or "Do you know if...". The phrase naturally slots in right after the subordinate conjunction (like att or om).
| Do you think it is possible to construct the rooftop garden here? | Tror du att det går att anlägga takodlingen här? |
| Do you know if it is possible to combine the irrigation and the drainage in the same system? | Vet du om det går att kombinera bevattningen och dräneringen i samma system? |