Breakdown of Vi låter vinden isoleras innan vi tapetserar.
vi
we
innan
before
vinden
the attic
låta
to let, allow
Questions & Answers about Vi låter vinden isoleras innan vi tapetserar.
How does the causative construction work here with låter vinden isoleras?
In Swedish, you use låta followed by an object (vinden) and a passive infinitive (isoleras) to express that you are having something done by someone else. It literally translates to "We let the attic be insulated," which is the natural way to say "We are having the attic insulated".
Why does isoleras end in an -s, and what verb form is it?
It is the passive infinitive of isolera (to insulate). When using the causative låta construction, the action being done to the object must be in the passive infinitive form, which is usually just the standard infinitive with an -s added to the end.
Doesn't vinden usually mean "the wind"? How do we know it means "the attic" here?
vinden can indeed mean "the wind", but it is also the definite form of en vind meaning "an attic". Context is key here: you would not insulate the wind, especially not before putting up wallpaper!
Could we use före instead of innan for "before" in this sentence?
No, because innan is a conjunction used to introduce a new clause with its own subject and verb (vi tapetserar). före is a preposition used before nouns or pronouns, such as in före arbetet (before work).