Breakdown of Vi brukar dammsuga innan middagen.
vi
we
innan
before
bruka
to usually do
dammsuga
to vacuum
middagen
the dinner
Questions & Answers about Vi brukar dammsuga innan middagen.
Why is there no att (to) before dammsuga?
Because brukar works like a modal verb (like can or must in English). Even though we translate it as "usually" in English, in Swedish it is a verb meaning "to be in the habit of". Just like other modal-like verbs you are learning, it is followed directly by the bare infinitive of the next verb, so you drop the att.
What does the word dammsuga literally mean?
It is a very literal compound word! It is made of damm (dust) and suga (to suck). So, to vacuum in Swedish is to "dust-suck".
Why does the sentence use the definite form middagen (the dinner) instead of just middag?
In English, we usually drop the "the" and just say "before dinner". However, in Swedish, when talking about daily meals as part of a routine or schedule, it is standard to use the definite form: middagen, frukosten (the breakfast), and lunchen (the lunch).
Could I use före instead of innan here?
Yes, you absolutely can! Traditionally, före is a preposition used before nouns (like före middagen), while innan is a conjunction used before a whole new phrase with a subject and a verb. But in modern, everyday Swedish, it is extremely common to use innan before a noun too, just like in this sentence.
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