Breakdown of Han var sjuk igår, så han slipper klippa gräset.
vara
to be
han
he
igår
yesterday
sjuk
sick
så
so
slippa
to not have to
klippa
to cut (with scissors)
gräset
the grass
Questions & Answers about Han var sjuk igår, så han slipper klippa gräset.
Why is there no att before klippa?
Because slipper is a modal-like verb. Just like kan (can) or måste (must), verbs like slipper (not have to) and brukar (usually do) take the bare infinitive. You put the next verb, klippa, directly after it without an att.
What exactly does slipper mean? Is it related to slipping?
It is a false friend! The verb slippa means to not have to do something, to be spared from it, or to get out of an unpleasant task. In this sentence, it means he is spared from the chore of cutting the grass.
Why does the sentence use gräset instead of just gräs?
After the comma and så, why is the word order han slipper instead of the verb coming first?
The word så (so) is a coordinating conjunction that connects two independent main clauses. Because it joins two complete sentences, the second clause starts fresh with normal subject-verb order, which is why the subject han comes right before the verb slipper.
Learn Han var sjuk igår, så han slipper klippa gräset and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free