Det är omöjligt att förutsäga en oändlig tidslinje.
It is impossible to predict an infinite timeline.
Breakdown of Det är omöjligt att förutsäga en oändlig tidslinje.
vara
to be
det
it (neuter)
en
a, an (common)
att
to
omöjlig
impossible
oändlig
infinite
tidslinjen
the timeline
förutsäga
to predict
Questions & Answers about Det är omöjligt att förutsäga en oändlig tidslinje.
Since the current lesson focuses on Tänk att and Tänk om, how would I rewrite this sentence to mean 'Imagine if it were impossible to predict an infinite timeline!'?
You would use Tänk om because it sets up a hypothetical scenario: Tänk om det vore omöjligt att förutsäga en oändlig tidslinje! Notice we use the subjunctive verb vore (were) instead of är to emphasize that it is hypothetical, though in casual spoken Swedish you will often hear people just use the past tense var.
What is the difference between förutsäga and förutse? Both often translate to predicting or foreseeing.
Förutsäga (literally 'fore-say') is specifically about stating or predicting what will happen, like a forecast, calculation, or prophecy. Förutse ('fore-see') is about anticipating something mentally or being prepared for an outcome. In this sentence, förutsäga implies trying to calculate and state exactly what will occur on the timeline.
How is the adjective oändlig formed?
Why is there an extra -s- in the middle of tidslinje?
This is a binding consonant (often called a 'foge-s') used in many Swedish compound nouns. It acts as a phonetic joint between the words tid (time) and linje (line) to make the word flow better. It historically stems from the genitive (possessive) case, which is why it often appears when the first part of the compound is a standalone noun.
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