Breakdown of Det går inte alls att sälja det här tramset, vi måste skrota det.
det
it (neuter)
vi
we
inte
not
måste
to have to, must
sälja
to sell
det här
this (ett)
det går att
it is possible to
alls
at all
skrota
to scrap
tramset
the nonsense
Questions & Answers about Det går inte alls att sälja det här tramset, vi måste skrota det.
How does the placement of alls work in the phrase det går inte alls att...?
In a main clause, the negation inte is placed directly after the finite (first) verb, which here is går. To emphasize the negation to mean "not at all," you simply add alls immediately after inte. The entire block inte alls then modifies the rest of the expression.
I know det går usually means "it goes" or "it walks". Why is it translated as "it is possible" here?
The phrase det går att followed by an infinitive verb (like sälja) is a very common Swedish idiom meaning "it is possible to" or "it can be done." With the strong negation, det går inte alls att sälja means "it is completely impossible to sell."
Why does tramset end in -et when it comes right after det här (this)?
This is a reminder of the Swedish "double definite" rule. When you use a pointing phrase like det här (this) or det där (that), the noun that follows must also be in its definite form. Since trams is an ett-word, it takes the definite suffix -et to become det här tramset.
What kind of word is trams, and how is it used?
Trams is a commonly used ett-word meaning "nonsense," "rubbish," or "silliness." It is typically used to dismiss ideas, objects, or behaviors that are frivolous or lack substance. You will also frequently hear the related verb att tramsa, which means "to goof around" or "to be silly."
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