Questions & Answers about Vi hittar inte radion.
Why does inte come after the verb hittar?
In a simple Swedish sentence, the main verb is almost always in the second position. Since Vi (We) takes the first position, the verb hittar (find) must come second. The negation word inte (not) comes immediately after the verb. Literally, this sentence is structured as "We find not the radio."
The translation says "cannot find", but is there a word for "can" in the Swedish sentence?
No, there isn't! You could say Vi kan inte hitta radion using the Swedish word for can (kan). However, Swedes often just use the simple present tense hittar inte (do not find) to express that they are unable to find something. English strongly prefers "can't find" in this context, so that makes the most natural translation.
Why is the word for radio spelled radion here?
Radion means "the radio". The base word is radio, which is an en-word. To say "the" in Swedish, you usually attach -en to the end of an en-word. But since radio already ends in a vowel, you just add an -n to make it definite.
Why does the verb end in -r (hittar)?
Adding an -r to the base form of the verb makes it present tense. Hitta is the infinitive ("to find"), and hittar is the present tense ("find" or "are finding"). Because this sentence stands alone without any helping verbs (like "can" or "will"), it requires the present tense form.