Learn Swedish: Hunden som sover i snön är varm, trots att det är kallt ute. - The dog that sleeps in the snow is warm, even though it is cold outside.

Hunden som sover i snön är varm, trots att det är kallt ute.

The dog that sleeps in the snow is warm, even though it is cold outside.

Breakdown of Hunden som sover i snön är varm, trots att det är kallt ute.

Questions & Answers about Hunden som sover i snön är varm, trots att det är kallt ute.

Why do we use trots att here instead of just trots?

Trots is a preposition meaning "despite" and must be followed by a noun (for example, trots kylan meaning "despite the cold"). Because we are following it with a full clause that has its own subject and verb (det är kallt ute), we have to use the subjunction trots att ("despite that" or "even though").

Could I use även om in this sentence instead of trots att?

Yes, but there is a slight difference in nuance. Trots att means "despite the fact that" and is used here because it is an established fact that it is cold outside. Även om translates to "even if" and is traditionally used for hypothetical situations, though Swedes frequently use it for established facts in casual speech too.

Why is varm written without a -t but kallt has one?

Adjectives must agree with what they describe. Varm describes hunden, which is an en word, so it takes the basic form. Kallt describes the general weather using the "dummy subject" det, and det always requires the neuter -t ending on adjectives.

If I wanted to say "even though it is not cold outside", where would inte go in this sentence?