Questions & Answers about Vi kan inte läsa filen om du inte öppnar den.
Why is the word order kan inte in the first half, but inte öppnar in the second?
This sentence is a perfect example of the BIFF rule! The first half (Vi kan inte läsa filen) is a main clause, so the adverb inte comes after the first verb (kan). The second half (om du inte öppnar den) is a subordinate clause introduced by om (if). In subordinate clauses, inte must come before the verb.
How do I know that om du inte öppnar den is a subordinate clause?
Subordinate clauses start with a linking word (a subjunction) that connects it to the main sentence. Here, that word is om (if). Because the clause starts with om, it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence, which tells you to use the BIFF rule and put inte before the verb.
Why do we use den at the very end instead of det?
The pronoun den means 'it' and refers back to the file (filen). Because en fil is an en-word, you must use den to replace it. If we were talking about an ett-word, like ett dokument, you would use det instead.
Why does läsa not end in an -r, while öppnar does?