Questions & Answers about Att de aldrig respekterar nattron!
Why does this sentence start with Att when there is no main clause like "I can't believe that..."?
In Swedish, you can use an independent att-clause to express strong emotion, like frustration, shock, or indignation. By dropping the main clause (which would be something like Det är otroligt att...), the emotion feels much more immediate and intense. Here, it perfectly captures the speaker's annoyance.
Why is the adverb aldrig placed before the verb respekterar instead of after it?
Even though this stands alone as a full sentence, it is grammatically still a subordinate clause. Therefore, it follows the BIFF rule, which states that sentence adverbs like aldrig must come before the finite verb (respekterar). If it were a normal main clause, it would be De respekterar aldrig nattron.
How is the word nattron constructed?
It is a compound noun made of natt (night) and ro (peace, calm). Because it is an en-word ending in a vowel, the definite suffix is just -n, making it nattron (the night's peace).
Is nattro a cultural concept I should know about?
Yes, very much so! In Swedish apartment buildings, nattro refers to the agreed-upon quiet hours, usually between 10 PM and 7 AM. Complaining that neighbors do not respect the nattro is a very common grievance.