Breakdown of Vi vill att nybörjaren flyter utan simfenorna.
vi
we
vilja
to want to
att
that
utan
without (+ noun)
Questions & Answers about Vi vill att nybörjaren flyter utan simfenorna.
Why can't I just say Vi vill nybörjaren att flyta, mimicking the English "We want the beginner to float"?
English uses an object followed by an infinitive ("the beginner to float") after verbs of wanting. Swedish does not. When the person wanting something (vi) is different from the person performing the action (nybörjaren), you must start a brand new clause with att (that). You are literally saying "We want that the beginner floats."
Because att is used here, why isn't the following verb in the infinitive form (flyta)?
In this sentence, att acts as a subordinating conjunction meaning "that", not as the infinitive marker "to". Because it introduces a full subordinate clause, that clause needs its own subject (nybörjaren) and a conjugated verb (flyter).
Is flyter a regular verb, or do I need to watch out for vowel changes in the past tense?
You need to watch out! Att flyta (to float) is a strong verb. It follows a common but tricky vowel change pattern: flyter in the present, flöt in the past, and flutit in the supine.
How is the word simfenorna built?
It is a compound noun made of two parts. Sim- is the root of the verb att simma (to swim), and fenorna is the definite plural of en fena (a fin). Together, "the swim-fins" translates perfectly to "the flippers".