Breakdown of Efter invigningen är du en av oss, vad du själv än må tycka.
vara
to be
du
you (singular)
vad
what
oss
us
av
of, by / from (cause)
efter
after
tycka
to think (have an opinion)
själv
oneself (emphatic)
än
ever (concessive particle)
en
one (of a group)
må
may (concessive auxiliary)
invigningen
the initiation
Questions & Answers about Efter invigningen är du en av oss, vad du själv än må tycka.
How do the words vad, än, and må work together here?
The combination vad ... än translates to 'whatever'. Inserting the auxiliary verb må (may) creates a concessive clause, establishing a condition that doesn't change the main outcome. Together, vad du själv än må tycka expresses 'whatever you yourself may think', emphasizing that their personal opinion won't change the fact that they are now part of the group.
Why doesn't this sentence use som, like in the phrase vad som än må hända?
In Swedish, you only need to add som when the 'whatever' or 'whoever' acts as the subject of the relative clause. In our sentence, du (you) is the subject because you are the one doing the thinking. In a phrase like vad som än må hända (whatever may happen), the 'whatever' is the subject doing the action, so som is required.
Could I leave out själv and just say vad du än må tycka?
Yes, the sentence would still be perfectly grammatically correct and mean 'whatever you may think'. Adding the emphatic pronoun själv (yourself) just adds extra focus, highlighting the strong contrast between the objective reality of the group and the individual's subjective opinion.
Why is the verb tycka used here instead of tänka or tro?
The verb tycka is used because it refers to having a personal opinion, value judgment, or feeling about a situation. The sentence is specifically addressing the person's opinion on being initiated. If you used tänka, it would refer strictly to the cognitive process of having thoughts in your head, while tro would mean believing or guessing a factual piece of information.
Learn Efter invigningen är du en av oss, vad du själv än må tycka and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free