Learn Swedish: Jag svär eden, vilka risker vi än må ta. - I swear the oath, whatever risks we may take.

To say "whatever [noun]" or "whichever [noun]" in Swedish, you frame the noun with vilken/vilket/vilka and the word än. Here, vilka risker (what risks) is followed by the subject vi and then än. The word än typically sits right before the verb phrase.

What exactly is the role of må in this sentence?

The word må is a concessive auxiliary verb here. It expresses that an action happens regardless of conditions, similar to "may" or "might" in English ("whatever risks we may take"). It gives the sentence a dramatic, formal tone. In everyday speech, you would usually drop it and just say vilka risker vi än tar.

Why use vilka instead of vad for "whatever" in this sentence?

Because "risks" is a specific plural noun (risker). When "whatever" modifies a noun directly, Swedish uses the matching form of "which" (vilken, vilket, or vilka). If you didn't have a noun and just wanted to say "whatever we may take", you would use vad vi än må ta.

What is the root word of eden?

The word eden is the definite singular form of en ed, which means "an oath".