Breakdown of Belysningen släcks så att publiken kan se scenen.
kunna
to be able to, can
se
to see
publiken
the audience
släcka
to extinguish
scenen
the stage
så att
so that
belysningen
the lighting
Questions & Answers about Belysningen släcks så att publiken kan se scenen.
How does så att work here, and does it change the word order?
Så att translates to "so that" and introduces a subordinate clause explaining the purpose or result of the main action. Because it starts a subordinate clause, any sentence adverb like inte (not) would need to go before the verb kan to follow the Swedish BIFF rule.
Why is the passive form släcks used here instead of just saying the lights go out?
Släcks is the s-passive form of släcka (to turn off or extinguish). It is used because someone is intentionally turning the lighting off for the show. If you used the active verb slocknar, it would mean the lights died or went out by themselves, like during a power outage.
Could I just use ljuset instead of belysningen here?
Yes, ljuset (the light) is a very common alternative and sounds completely natural. Belysningen specifically means "the lighting" or the actual illumination system, which fits perfectly when talking about a theater or stage setting.
Why is publiken in the singular form when an audience consists of many people?
Just like in English, publik (audience) is a collective noun. In Swedish, it is treated grammatically as a singular en word when referring to the group as a single unit, which is why we use the singular definite form publiken (the audience).
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