Learn Swedish: Vi tog inte och röjde röran. - We didn't go ahead and clear out the mess.

This is called pseudo-coordination. To express taking the initiative to do something (like 'go ahead and' do it), Swedish uses ta och followed by a second verb in the exact same tense. Since the action happened in the past, both verbs take the past tense: tog and röjde. You cannot use the infinitive marker att here.

Why is inte placed right after tog instead of after the whole ta och expression?

In a standard Swedish main clause, the negation inte must come immediately after the first finite (tensed) verb. Since tog is the first verb, inte is placed directly after it. Saying Vi tog och inte röjde would violate this strict word-order rule.

What is the difference between röja (the infinitive of röjde) and städa?

While städa means to clean (like wiping surfaces, vacuuming, or mopping), röja specifically means to clear away, declutter, or organize. You use röja when you need to get rid of physical clutter or make space.

Is the noun röran related to the verb röra (to touch or stir)?