Breakdown of Glöm inte låset till cykeln!
inte
not
cykeln
the bicycle
till
for (to go with)
glömma
to forget
Questions & Answers about Glöm inte låset till cykeln!
Why use till here instead of saying cykelns lås?
While cykelns lås (the bike's lock) is understood, Swedish strongly prefers using till for relationships between physical objects, especially parts and accessories. It works just like nyckeln till dörren (the key to the door).
Why are both nouns in the definite form (låset and cykeln)?
When using till to show a relationship between two specific things, both nouns take the definite form. You are talking about the specific lock that belongs to the specific bike.
Why is the verb just glöm instead of glömmer or glömma?
Glöm is the imperative form, used because you are giving a command. For group 2 verbs like glömma, you form the imperative by dropping the final -a from the infinitive.
Is the word order always verb first in a negative command?
Yes! In Swedish commands, the verb comes first and the negation (inte) comes immediately after it. You literally say: Forget not the lock!