Breakdown of Hon kände sig för svag för att klara höjden.
hon
she
att
to (before a verb)
känna sig
to feel (emotions, sensations)
för
for, to
klara
to manage
svag
weak
höjden
the altitude / the height
Questions & Answers about Hon kände sig för svag för att klara höjden.
How does the 'too [adjective] to [verb]' structure work in this sentence?
In Swedish, you use the pattern för + adjective + för att + infinitive. So för svag för att klara literally means 'too weak in order to handle'. You cannot leave out the för before att in this construction.
Doesn't för att normally mean 'in order to'?
Yes, it usually means 'in order to' or 'because'. When paired with a previous för (too), you can think of it as literally saying she felt too weak 'in order to' handle the altitude. This is the standard way to translate 'too... to...' into Swedish.
Why is there a sig after kände?
The verb känna on its own means 'to feel' (by physically touching) or 'to know' (a person). When talking about experiencing an emotional or physical state yourself, you must use the reflexive verb känna sig. Since the subject is hon, the matching reflexive pronoun is sig.
What kind of 'handling' does the verb klara refer to here?
Klara is a very common verb used for 'managing', 'coping with', or 'handling' a challenge. Here, klara höjden implies being able to physically endure or survive the altitude. You will also often hear it as the phrasal verb klara av, which means the exact same thing.
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