Breakdown of Han är för berusad och måste hem.
vara
to be
han
he
och
and
hem
home
måste
to have to, must
för
too
berusad
intoxicated
Questions & Answers about Han är för berusad och måste hem.
Why is there no verb for "go" after måste?
In Swedish, verbs of motion like gå or åka are frequently dropped after modal verbs like måste, ska, or vill if the destination is obvious. The sentence literally says "must home," which sounds strange in English but is completely natural and common in Swedish.
How does the word hem make this dropped verb work?
The word hem specifically indicates direction (to home). If the sentence meant he was already located at home, it would use the word hemma. Because the direction is built right into the word hem, the actual motion verb isn't needed to make the meaning clear.
Why isn't the subject repeated after och (och han måste hem)?
Just like in English, when two verbs are connected by och (and) and share the exact same subject, you don't need to repeat it. The pronoun han at the beginning applies to both the verb är and the modal verb måste.
Is berusad the most common word for "drunk"?
Berusad is a slightly more formal or descriptive word for being intoxicated. In casual, everyday spoken Swedish, you will much more often hear the word full used instead (for example, Han är för full).
Does för always mean "too" in Swedish?
No, för very commonly translates to the preposition "for". However, when placed immediately before an adjective like berusad (drunk), it acts as an adverb meaning "too" or "excessively".
Learn Han är för berusad och måste hem 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