Breakdown of De skulle gå på picknicken, men de stannade hemma på grund av ovädret.
de
they
gå
to go, to walk
stanna
to stay
hemma
at home
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
men
but
skulle
would
på grund av
because of
ovädret
the bad weather
picknicken
the picnic
Questions & Answers about De skulle gå på picknicken, men de stannade hemma på grund av ovädret.
I thought skulle meant "should". Why does it translate to "were going to" here?
While skulle is often used to mean "should", it is actually the past tense of ska (will / are going to). In this sentence, it is used for the "future in the past". Using skulle plus the infinitive verb gå expresses an intention they had in the past: they "were going to go", but those plans changed.
Why do we use på in gå på picknicken? Shouldn't it be till for "to"?
In Swedish, you generally use gå på when talking about attending an event, activity, or gathering (like a picnic, a party, or a concert). You use till when referring to physical destinations or specific places, like a building or a city.
A quick refresher: why is it stannade hemma instead of stannade hem?
It is all about location versus movement. You use hem when there is motion toward the home, like going home. Because the verb here is stannade (stayed), which indicates a stationary location with no movement, you must use hemma (at home).
How do you use the phrase på grund av? Can I just use eftersom instead?
På grund av is a fixed phrase meaning "because of" or "due to", and it is always followed by a noun (like ovädret). Eftersom means "because", but it must be followed by a full clause with a subject and a verb (like "eftersom det var dåligt väder").
What does the o- prefix do in the word ovädret?
It comes from the word väder (weather). Adding the prefix o- usually creates an opposite or negative meaning. In this case, ett oväder specifically means a storm or bad weather, and ovädret is the definite form ("the bad weather").
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