Breakdown of Vi måste godkänna denna transaktion idag.
vi
we
idag
today
måste
to have to, must
godkänna
to approve
denna
this (common)
transaktionen
the transaction
Questions & Answers about Vi måste godkänna denna transaktion idag.
Why is it denna transaktion and not denna transaktionen?
The word denna is a formal demonstrative meaning "this". A strict rule in Swedish is that denna, detta, and dessa must be followed by the indefinite form of the noun (no -en or -et on the end). Therefore, it has to be denna transaktion.
How do I know whether to use denna, detta, or dessa here?
It depends on the gender and number of the noun that follows. Because transaktion is a singular en-word (en transaktion), you use denna. You would use detta for a singular ett-word, and dessa for plural nouns.
Could I say den här transaktionen instead?
Yes, absolutely! Denna transaktion and den här transaktionen mean the exact same thing. However, denna is more formal and used more often in writing. Because a "transaction" belongs to a business or banking context, the formal denna sounds very natural here. In casual speech, den här transaktionen is more common.
Why is the verb godkänna in its infinitive form rather than the present tense?
Because it comes directly after the modal verb måste (must/have to). Just like in English, Swedish modal verbs are followed by the infinitive (the dictionary form, usually ending in -a). You don't add an -r to it.
The word godkänna looks like a compound word. What does it literally mean?
Good eye! It is a compound of god (good) and känna (to feel or to know). Literally, it means "to feel [that something is] good" or "to deem good", which translates perfectly to the English word "approve".
Learn Vi måste godkänna denna transaktion idag 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