Breakdown of Rädd som han var, stannade han i rummet och övervann problemet.
vara
to be
han
he
och
and
rummet
the room
i
in
stanna
to stay
problemet
the problem
som
as (in comparisons)
rädd
afraid, scared
övervinna
to overcome
Questions & Answers about Rädd som han var, stannade han i rummet och övervann problemet.
What makes Rädd som han var mean 'Afraid as he was' rather than 'He was afraid'?
This structure (Adjective + som + subject + a form of vara) creates a special dependent clause. By fronting the adjective rädd, it places heavy emphasis on his fear. This pattern is taught in this lesson to express a contrast or a reason, much like saying 'Afraid as he was' or 'Tired as I am' in English.
Could Rädd som han var also mean 'Because he was afraid'?
Yes! Depending on the second half of the sentence, this exact structure can be either concessive ('Even though he was...') or causal ('Because he was...'). Since he stayed and overcame the problem, logic tells us this is a contrast. If the sentence instead ended with him running away, the clause would be acting as the cause.
Why is the word order stannade han instead of han stannade?
What kind of verb is övervann?
It is the past tense of övervinna (to overcome). Since it is built on the core verb vinna (to win), it follows the exact same strong conjugation pattern: övervinner (present), övervann (past), and har övervunnit (supine).
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