Breakdown of Vi planerade flytten för familjens skull.
vi
we
familjen
the family
för
for, to
planera
to plan
Questions & Answers about Vi planerade flytten för familjens skull.
How does the för ... skull construction work when using a regular noun instead of a pronoun?
It works exactly the same way! The phrase is always för + [possessive word] + skull. Since we are talking about the family's sake, we take the definite noun familjen (the family) and add an -s to make it possessive, resulting in familjens.
Is flytten related to the verb flytta (to move)?
Yes! While flytta is the verb, here we need a noun to say "the move". The base noun is en flytt. Because it is a specific move, we add the definite ending to get flytten.
Could I start the sentence with för familjens skull to emphasize it?
Absolutely. If you do, you must remember the V2 rule, which says the verb must be the second block of information. The sentence would become: För familjens skull planerade vi flytten. Notice how the verb planerade comes immediately after the phrase, pushing the subject vi to the third spot.
Does the word skull mean the same thing as the English word skull?
It is a false friend! The Swedish word for the bone in your head is actually en skalle. In this construction, skull translates to sake or behalf. It is related to the word skuld, which means debt, guilt, or blame.