Breakdown of Eftersom kopplingen var trasig, så underkände inspektören eleven.
vara
to be
trasig
broken
så
so
eftersom
since, because
eleven
the pupil (at school)
underkänna
to fail (someone)
inspektören
the inspector
kopplingen
the clutch
Questions & Answers about Eftersom kopplingen var trasig, så underkände inspektören eleven.
Why do we use the word så here?
In Swedish, when a sentence starts with a subordinate clause like Eftersom kopplingen var trasig, you can use så as a resumptive adverb to link it to the main clause. It essentially sums up the first clause so the main clause can begin smoothly. It is optional but extremely common, especially in spoken Swedish.
How does using så affect the V2 (verb-second) word order here?
The entire subordinate clause acts as the first position in the sentence. When you add så, it takes over that first position, summarizing the condition. Because Swedish requires the verb in the second position in a main clause, the verb underkände must come immediately after så, pushing the subject inspektören to the other side of the verb.
Can I drop så and still have a correct sentence?
Yes! You can absolutely write Eftersom kopplingen var trasig underkände inspektören eleven. Dropping så makes the sentence sound slightly more formal and better suited for written text, while keeping it is very natural for everyday speech.
Could I use underkände to say that the student failed the test?
No, underkänna is used from the perspective of the person doing the grading or evaluating, meaning to fail someone or to reject. It is the direct opposite of godkänna (to pass or approve). If the student fails, you would use the passive voice (eleven blev underkänd) or use a different verb like kugga (eleven kuggade uppkörningen).
Learn Eftersom kopplingen var trasig, så underkände inspektören eleven and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free