Describing Abstract Nouns
When you make a New Year's resolution, you often talk about abstract concepts: promises, decisions, and attempts. To explain exactly what that promise or decision entails, Swedish uses the exact same structure as English: simply attach an infinitive phrase directly to the noun using att (to).
| The promise to eat a healthy breakfast is a good start. | Löftet att äta en hälsosam frukost är en bra början. |
| The decision to save the money is long-term. | Beslutet att spara pengarna är långsiktigt. |
Motivations and Desires
This structure is incredibly common with nouns expressing desires, ambitions, or needs. Just place att and the infinitive verb right after the noun (such as motivationen, ambitionen, or viljan).
| Do you have the motivation to exercise every day? | Har du motivationen att träna varje dag? |
| The desire to continue must be long-term. | Viljan att fortsätta måste vara långsiktig. |
| We realize the need to rest today. | Vi inser behovet att vila idag. |
Making (and Breaking) Resolutions
Of course, New Year's resolutions are famously hard to keep. You can use these noun complements in more complex sentences to describe the struggle of sticking to your goals, or the reality of breaking them.
| The New Year's resolution to live healthy seems good. | Nyårslöftet att leva hälsosamt verkar bra. |
| The New Year's resolution to stop smoking is hard. | Nyårslöftet att sluta röka är svårt. |
| He always breaks the promise to never eat candy. | Han bryter alltid löftet att aldrig äta godis. |
| Even if she buys the gym membership, the attempt to exercise fails. | Även om hon köper gymkortet misslyckas försöket att träna. |
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