Breakdown of Vad anser du att tolken bör tillägga?
du
you (singular)
vad
what
att
that
böra
should, ought to
Questions & Answers about Vad anser du att tolken bör tillägga?
Where does vad logically belong in this sentence, and why is it at the very beginning?
Vad is logically the object of the verb tillägga (to add) in the subordinate clause (att tolken bör tillägga [vad]). However, standard Swedish requires question words to start the sentence. This forces vad to jump out of its original clause and move to the front of the main clause, creating what is called a satsfläta (sentence intertwining).
Could I phrase this without pulling vad to the front, such as Du anser att tolken bör tillägga vad?
In spoken Swedish, you might hear that structure used to express shock or ask for repetition. But for a standard, grammatically neutral question, Swedish requires the WH-word at the front, making this intertwined construction mandatory.
Why use anser here instead of tycker or tror?
Anser means to consider or hold a considered opinion. It is more formal and analytical than tycker (which expresses subjective taste or feelings) and tror (which means to believe or guess). In a professional or formal context involving an interpreter (tolken), anser fits perfectly.
Can I use the particle verb lägga till instead of tillägga here?