Breakdown of Vi hade inte tid igår, så vi håller på att vika tvätten nu.
vi
we
nu
now
inte
not
ha
to have
igår
yesterday
tiden
the time
så
so
hålla på att
to be doing (progressive)
tvätten
the laundry
vika
to fold
Questions & Answers about Vi hade inte tid igår, så vi håller på att vika tvätten nu.
How does håller på att work here to mean "are folding"?
This phrase translates to "are in the process of" or "are currently". While English uses "are folding" for both general statements and current actions, Swedish usually just uses the normal present tense (vi viker). You use håller på att followed by an infinitive verb when you really want to emphasize that the action is happening right this very second.
Why is the verb vika used instead of the present tense viker?
Because of the word att. In Swedish, att acts like the word "to" in English. It is an infinitive marker that forces the verb that follows it into its base dictionary form, which is the infinitive vika (to fold).
Why doesn't the word order flip to verb-first after så (so)?
The word så is a coordinating conjunction, just like och (and) or men (but). It connects two independent main clauses. Because the second part of the sentence is a brand new main clause, it starts with normal word order: the subject (vi) followed by the verb (håller).
What is the base form of the word tvätten?
It comes from the noun en tvätt (a wash or laundry). By adding the -en suffix, it becomes the definite form tvätten (the laundry). Swedish often uses the definite form for household chores, similar to how we say "doing the dishes" or "folding the laundry" in English.
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