Breakdown of Vi skulle titta på filmen, men strömmen försvann plötsligt på grund av blixten.
vi
we
titta på
to look at
filmen
the film
men
but
försvinna
to disappear
skulle
would
på grund av
because of
plötsligt
suddenly
blixten
the lightning
strömmen
the power (electrical)
Questions & Answers about Vi skulle titta på filmen, men strömmen försvann plötsligt på grund av blixten.
Why do we use "skulle titta" here instead of "tittade" (watched)?
Skulle combined with a verb in its dictionary form (bare infinitive) is used to express the "future in the past" — things you were going to do. Since the plan to watch the film happened in the past but was interrupted before it could happen, vi skulle titta perfectly captures "we were going to watch".
Why is "titta på" used here instead of just "titta"?
In Swedish, you almost always need the preposition på when you watch or look at a specific thing. Just like you say "look at" in English, in Swedish you say titta på filmen rather than just titta filmen.
The English translation says "the power went out", but what does "strömmen försvann" literally mean?
Literally, it means "the current disappeared". Strömmen means "the current" or "the power", and försvann is the past tense of försvinna (to disappear). This is the standard, natural way to say the power went out in Swedish.
How does "på grund av" work in this sentence?
På grund av is a fixed phrase meaning "due to" or "because of". It is always followed by a noun, which in this case is blixten (the lightning). If you wanted to say "because" followed by a full sentence (like "because it was raining"), you would use därför att or eftersom instead.
Why does "plötsligt" (suddenly) come after "försvann" instead of before it?
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