Breakdown of Frestelsen är stor, men han låter bli att köpa godiset.
vara
to be
han
he
stor
big
köpa
to buy
att
to
men
but
låta bli
to refrain
godiset
the candy
frestelsen
the temptation
Questions & Answers about Frestelsen är stor, men han låter bli att köpa godiset.
How does the phrase låter bli att köpa translate to "refrains from buying"?
The verb phrase låta bli literally translates to "to let be", but it is the standard way to say "to refrain" or "to stop oneself" in Swedish. When you refrain from an action, you follow it with the infinitive marker att and the verb in its infinitive form, giving us låter bli att köpa.
Can I use låta bli without a verb following it?
Yes! If you want to say "Leave it alone!" or "Stop it!", you can use it on its own as a command: Låt bli! You can also use it directly with an object, like Låt bli godiset! (Leave the candy alone!). You only need to add att when an action (a verb) follows.
What is the base form of Frestelsen, and why does it end in just -n?
The base noun is en frestelse (a temptation). For en-words that already end in a vowel, you usually just add an -n rather than -en to make them definite. This avoids an awkward double vowel, making it frestelsen.
Why is godiset in the definite form here?
While English might use the general phrase "buying candy" in this context, Swedish often prefers the definite form when referring to a specific instance or amount of something that is currently tempting the person. Because godis is an ett-word, it takes the -et ending to become godiset.
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