Breakdown of Han arbetade hårt för att aldrig bli en börda.
han
he
en
a, an (common)
att
to
aldrig
never
för
for, to
hård
hard
bli
to become
arbeta
to work (more formal than jobba)
bördan
the burden
Questions & Answers about Han arbetade hårt för att aldrig bli en börda.
Why is aldrig placed before the verb bli in this sentence?
Because this is an infinitive phrase. When you use att followed by a verb in the infinitive form (like bli), sentence adverbs such as aldrig (never) or inte (not) must be placed right between att and the verb. This is why it is att aldrig bli.
Would the word order change if this was a normal main clause instead of an infinitive phrase?
Why do we need för att here instead of just att?
The phrase för att specifically means in order to and expresses the purpose behind an action. He worked hard in order to never become a burden. If you only used att, it would sound grammatically incorrect in Swedish because att alone cannot express purpose.
Why does the word hårt end in a -t?
In this sentence, hårt is an adverb describing how he worked (arbetade). To make an adverb out of the adjective hård (hard), you add a -t to the end. This follows the exact same pattern as making the neuter form (the ett form) of an adjective.
Is the noun börda related to any common Swedish verbs?
Yes, en börda (a burden) is directly related to the verb att bära (to carry). A burden is quite literally something you have to carry, which makes it easier to remember!
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