Breakdown of Vi ska asfaltera gångbanan till påsken.
vi
we
ska
will
till
by (a future time)
asfaltera
to pave
Questions & Answers about Vi ska asfaltera gångbanan till påsken.
Why does this sentence use the definite form påsken after till?
When talking about an action happening by the very next or upcoming season or holiday, Swedish uses till followed by the definite noun. So till påsken specifically means "by this coming Easter."
Does till mean they will pave continuously until Easter, or finish by Easter?
In this context, till plus a future point in time usually means "in time for" or "by." It sets a deadline for when the paving will be completed, rather than describing an action that continues non-stop until that date.
Why use ska here instead of kommer att to show the future tense?
Ska is used here because paving the walkway is a deliberate plan or intention controlled by the subjects (vi). You typically use kommer att for future events that are merely predictions or outside of your direct control.
What is the difference between gångbanan and a standard sidewalk?
Gångbanan is a compound of gång (walking) and bana (path), meaning a pedestrian walkway. While similar to a sidewalk (trottoar), a gångbana is often an independent path rather than a paved strip immediately bordering a road for cars.