To talk about something you were going to do, Swedish uses the auxiliary verb skulle followed by a bare infinitive.
The Future in the Past: Skulle
Just as ska expresses future plans, skulle expresses plans from the perspective of the past. Use it for intentions that fell through.
To emphasize the first intention, you can use the adverb ursprungligen (originally).
| We were originally going to grill tonight. | Vi skulle ursprungligen grilla ikväll. |
| Where was the picnic originally going to be? | Var skulle picknicken ursprungligen vara? |
Interrupted Plans and Disruptions
Because skulle often implies a changed plan, it frequently appears alongside the reason things went wrong. Bad weather (ovädret) or a thunderstorm (åska) are common culprits.
Notice how these sentences contrast the intended action (skulle + infinitive) with the interrupting event in the simple past tense.
| They were going to go to the picnic, but they stayed home because of the bad weather. | De skulle gå på picknicken, men de stannade hemma på grund av ovädret. |
| The performance was going to start outdoors before it started thundering. | Föreställningen skulle börja utomhus innan det började åska. |
You can also use this structure to explain sudden disruptions, like the power (strömmen) going out due to a lightning strike (blixten).
| We were going to watch the film, but the power suddenly went out due to the lightning. | Vi skulle titta på filmen, men strömmen försvann plötsligt på grund av blixten. |
Everyday Delays
This pattern applies to all kinds of altered plans. Whether someone falls ill or you get a flat tire (punkteringen), skulle captures the intention before reality got in the way.
| The mechanic was going to look at the flat tire, but he was sick. | Mekanikern skulle titta på punkteringen, men han var sjuk. |