Breakdown of Jag såg honom komma därifrån igår.
jag
I
komma
to come
se
to see
igår
yesterday
honom
him
därifrån
from there
Questions & Answers about Jag såg honom komma därifrån igår.
Why is it därifrån instead of two words like från där?
In Swedish, to express "from there" or "from here", you don't usually use the preposition från followed by the location word. Instead, you attach the suffix -ifrån directly to the adverb. So där (there) becomes därifrån (from there).
Since he is moving (coming), why do we use the static word där combined with ifrån, rather than dit (motion)?
The suffix -ifrån already provides the sense of motion, specifically originating from a place. Because of this, it always attaches to the static location words (like här, där, inne, uppe) rather than the directional ones (hit, dit, in, upp).
Why is the verb komma in the infinitive without att?
When using verbs of perception like se (to see) or höra (to hear), Swedish uses the bare infinitive without att. It works exactly like English in this case: "I saw him come" translates word-for-word to Jag såg honom komma.
How would the word order change if I started the sentence with Igår to emphasize the time?
If you put igår at the beginning, the V2 rule kicks in, meaning the verb must be the second block of information. The subject jag and the verb såg would swap places, making it: Igår såg jag honom komma därifrån.
Learn Jag såg honom komma därifrån igår 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