Word
Invigningen testar vår lojalitet, hur svårt det än må kännas.
Meaning
The initiation tests our loyalty, however difficult it may feel.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Invigningen testar vår lojalitet, hur svårt det än må kännas.
det
it (neuter)
hur
how
svår
difficult
vår
our (vår/vårt/våra)
Questions & Answers about Invigningen testar vår lojalitet, hur svårt det än må kännas.
How does the structure hur svårt det än må kännas translate to 'however difficult it may feel'?
In Swedish, combining a question word like hur (how) with the particle än creates the meaning of 'no matter how' or 'however'. The standard pattern for this is hur + [adjective/adverb] + [subject] + än. Adding the auxiliary verb må (may) completes the concessive meaning, resulting in 'no matter how difficult it may feel'.
Is the word må here related to the verb used in phrases like jag mår bra (I feel good)?
No, they are actually completely different verbs. In jag mår bra, the verb is att må (to feel/to be doing), and the present tense is mår. In this sentence, må is an auxiliary verb meaning 'may' or 'might'. At the B2 level, you will mostly see this auxiliary må in these kinds of 'no matter what/how' clauses.
Could I drop må and just say hur svårt det än känns?
Yes, you absolutely can. Saying hur svårt det än känns simply means 'however difficult it feels' and is a bit more direct. Adding må changes it to 'however difficult it may feel', which softens the statement and is a highly idiomatic fit for this grammatical structure.
Why does the verb kännas end in an -s here? Is it in the passive voice?