Ambitionen att vinna tävlingen kräver tålamod.
The ambition to win the competition requires patience.
Breakdown of Ambitionen att vinna tävlingen kräver tålamod.
att
to
vinna
to win
tävlingen
the competition
tålamodet
the patience
kräva
to require
ambitionen
the ambition
Questions & Answers about Ambitionen att vinna tävlingen kräver tålamod.
Why do we put att vinna directly after the noun ambitionen?
Here, att vinna (to win) acts as a noun complement. It connects directly to ambitionen to explain exactly what that ambition is. Just like in English, Swedish uses att + infinitive after certain nouns (like time, ability, or ambition) to complete their meaning.
Why is ambitionen in the definite form?
We use the definite form ambitionen (the ambition) because the phrase that follows it, att vinna tävlingen, specifies exactly which ambition we are talking about. When a noun is clearly defined by a following phrase, Swedish strongly prefers the definite form.
Could I use behöver instead of kräver in this sentence?
You could, but kräver (requires or demands) is a much better fit. Kräver is typically used when a situation, task, or goal demands something from you. Behöver (needs) is usually for living things needing something, so applying it to an abstract concept like an ambition sounds less natural.
Why is there no article (like ett) before tålamod?
Tålamod (patience) is an uncountable noun, so it doesn't take an indefinite article, just like in English. As a fun bonus to help you remember it: it is a compound word made from the verb att tåla (to endure or tolerate) and the noun mod (courage or spirit).
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