Breakdown of Sjuksköterskan ger medicinen för att den ska lindra smärtan från såret.
den
it (common)
ska
will
från
from
för
for, to
ge
to give
sjuksköterskan
the nurse
att
that
medicinen
the medicine
smärtan
the pain
lindra
to relieve
såret
the wound
Questions & Answers about Sjuksköterskan ger medicinen för att den ska lindra smärtan från såret.
Why is there a full clause (den ska lindra) after för att instead of just an infinitive?
Because the subject changes. The nurse (sjuksköterskan) is giving the medicine, but the medicine (den) is what will relieve the pain. When the doer of the action changes, you cannot use för att plus an infinitive; you must use a full subordinate clause.
Why do we use ska lindra instead of the present tense lindrar?
When a för att clause expresses purpose or intention (meaning 'so that'), Swedish typically uses ska (or skulle in the past tense) plus an infinitive. It emphasizes what the desired outcome is, rather than just stating a guaranteed fact.
Doesn't för att usually mean 'because'? How can I tell it means 'so that' here?
You are right that för att often translates to 'because'. However, when it is followed by a subordinate clause containing ska or skulle, it almost always means 'in order to' or 'so that'. The forward-looking intention of the nurse makes it clear this is about purpose, not cause.
Why is the pronoun den used here instead of det?
den refers back to medicinen (the medicine). Since medicin is an en-word, we must use the matching en-word pronoun den to say 'it'.
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