Learn Swedish: Irrationell som fobin var, behärskade jag den till slut. - Irrational as the phobia was, I mastered it in the end.

Irrationell som fobin var, behärskade jag den till slut.

Irrational as the phobia was, I mastered it in the end.

Breakdown of Irrationell som fobin var, behärskade jag den till slut.

Questions & Answers about Irrationell som fobin var, behärskade jag den till slut.

Why is it Irrationell and not Irrationellt or Irrationella?

In this fronted structure, the adjective still has to agree with the subject of the clause. Since the subject is fobin (an en-word in the singular), the adjective takes its basic form, irrationell. If the subject had been an ett-word, you would need to use irrationellt.

Can I just say Fastän fobin var irrationell instead?

Yes! The phrase Irrationell som fobin var is a stylistic, slightly more formal way of saying Fastän (even though) or Trots att (despite that). Fronting the adjective like this is a great way to add emphasis and structural variety to your Swedish.

Why does the second part of the sentence start with the verb behärskade?

This is the classic Swedish V2 (verb-second) rule. The entire first concessive clause (Irrationell som fobin var) acts as the first block of information. Because the main clause verb must come in the second position, behärskade appears immediately after the comma, pushing the subject (jag) to the third position.

Does behärska only mean to master a skill, like learning a language?

No, behärska is very versatile. While it frequently means to master a skill or subject, it also means to physically or mentally control, restrain, or rule over something. In this sentence, it implies taking back control over an intense emotion or fear.