Breakdown of Han vill att du tömmer masken innan du får certifikatet.
du
you (singular)
han
he
vilja
to want to
innan
before
att
that
få
to get, receive
masken
the mask
tömma
to empty
certifikatet
the certificate
Questions & Answers about Han vill att du tömmer masken innan du får certifikatet.
Why do we say vill att du tömmer instead of translating "wants you to empty" word-for-word?
In English, we use an object and an infinitive ("wants you to..."). Swedish doesn't allow this with verbs of wanting or wishing when the subject changes. Because "he" wants but "you" empty, you must use a subordinate clause starting with att (that). Literally, the Swedish sentence says "He wants that you empty...".
Why is tömmer conjugated in the present tense? Doesn't att mean we need an infinitive?
The word att does double duty in Swedish: it is an infinitive marker ("to") but also a subjunction meaning "that". In this sentence, it means "that" and introduces a brand-new clause. Therefore, the verb must be conjugated in the present tense (tömmer) rather than left in the infinitive.
Could I use före instead of innan for "before"?
Not in this sentence. Innan is a subjunction, which means it introduces a clause with a new subject and verb (du får). Före is a preposition, which is only used directly in front of a noun or pronoun, like in före certifikatet (before the certificate).
Doesn't masken mean "the worm"?
It can! En mask means both "a worm" and "a mask". Given the context of getting a certificate and emptying something, this sentence is likely about a scuba diving course, where clearing water from your diving mask (masken) is a mandatory skill you must demonstrate.
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