Breakdown of Kan du bära kassen åt mig?
du
you (singular)
kunna
to be able to, can
mig
me
åt
for (on behalf of), to
bära
to carry
kassen
the shopping bag
Questions & Answers about Kan du bära kassen åt mig?
Why do we use åt here instead of för?
In Swedish, åt is used when you perform a concrete task on behalf of someone else, saving them the effort. Here, you are asking the person to take over the physical labor of carrying the bag. If you used för, it would sound more abstract, like you are doing it in their general interest rather than taking over a physical chore.
Could I say Kan du bära kassen till mig instead?
You can, but it changes the meaning! If you use till, it indicates a physical direction or destination. It would mean 'Can you carry the bag to me?' (for example, if you are standing across the room and want them to bring it to you). Using åt means they are carrying it on your behalf so you don't have to.
What exactly is a kasse, and how is it different from a väska or påse?
En kasse specifically refers to a shopping bag with handles, like a standard paper or plastic grocery bag. En påse is usually a bag without handles, like a small paper bag for candy or a thin plastic bag for loose fruit. En väska is a personal bag, like a handbag, backpack, or suitcase.
I sometimes forget when to use att before a verb. Why is it missing before bära?
Kan is a modal verb, and just like in English, modal verbs are followed directly by the infinitive form of the main verb without the word for 'to'. Just as you would say 'Can you carry' rather than 'Can you to carry', in Swedish you drop the att after kan.
Learn Kan du bära kassen åt mig and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free