Questions & Answers about De tvättar plasten för att återvinna den.
Why do we use för att here instead of just att?
The phrase för att translates to "in order to". It is used to show the purpose or reason behind an action. If you want to explain why someone is doing something, use för att followed by an infinitive verb (like återvinna).
Doesn't för att usually mean "because"?
It can mean both! When för att is followed directly by an infinitive verb (as it is here with återvinna), it means "in order to". If it is followed by a new subject and a conjugated verb (like för att den är smutsig - "because it is dirty"), it means "because".
Why does the sentence end with den instead of det for "it"?
In Swedish, the word you use for "it" must match the gender of the noun you are referring back to. Since plastic is an en-word (en plast, or plasten for "the plastic"), we use den. If they were recycling an ett-word like an apple (ett äpple), it would be det.
How is the word återvinna built?
Like many Swedish words, it is a compound. It is made of åter (again/back) and vinna (to win or gain). So, to "win back" a material is to recycle it!