Breakdown of Det går inte att bygga utan att förstärka bärkraften först.
inte
not
först
first
bygga
to build
utan att
without
det går att
it is possible to
förstärka
to reinforce
bärkraften
the load-bearing capacity
Questions & Answers about Det går inte att bygga utan att förstärka bärkraften först.
Why do we use Det går inte att bygga here instead of a literal translation like Det är inte möjligt att bygga?
While both mean that it is not possible to build, using det går (inte) att is the most natural, idiomatic way to express feasibility in everyday Swedish. It focuses on whether an action is practically doable, often translating to "you can't" or "it's impossible to".
Does Det går inte att bygga mean "I cannot build" or "It cannot be built"?
It can actually mean both depending on the context! The construction det går att is impersonal, meaning it doesn't specify who is doing the action. It simply states that the action of building is not doable.
Why does the English translation use "without reinforcing", but the Swedish uses utan att förstärka?
English uses the "-ing" form (the gerund) after prepositions, like in "without reinforcing". Swedish does not have an exact equivalent to this "-ing" form. Instead, after a preposition like utan, you use att followed by the infinitive verb.
How is the noun bärkraften put together?
It is a compound word made from the verb root bär- (from att bära, meaning to carry or bear) and the definite noun kraften (the power or the force). Together they literally mean "the carrying power", which is the standard term for load-bearing capacity.
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