Breakdown of Även om isbjörnen är hungrig måste vi dra kälken.
vara
to be
vi
we
måste
to have to, must
hungrig
hungry
dra
to pull
även om
even if, even though
isbjörnen
the polar bear
kälken
the sled
Questions & Answers about Även om isbjörnen är hungrig måste vi dra kälken.
Why does the second part of the sentence start with the verb måste instead of vi?
The first part of the sentence, Även om isbjörnen är hungrig, is a subordinate clause that takes up the first position. Because Swedish uses the V2 rule (the main verb must be in the second position), the main clause verb måste has to come right after the comma, before the subject vi.
Could I use trots att instead of även om here?
You could, but it changes the meaning slightly. Även om translates to 'even if', which usually sets up a hypothetical situation. Trots att means 'despite that' or 'even though', which points to a known fact. If the bear is definitely hungry, trots att is better. If it is just a risk, stick with även om.
Why is there no att (to) before the verb dra (pull)?
Because måste (must) is a modal verb. Just like in English, modal verbs in Swedish are followed directly by the infinitive form of the next verb without using att. You say 'we must pull', not 'we must to pull'.
What does the compound word isbjörnen literally mean?
It is a compound word made of is (ice) and björnen (the bear). Swedish frequently combines nouns this way, so the literal translation of a polar bear is an 'ice bear'.
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