Breakdown of Seismologen undersöker kratern, varför han tror att magman är farlig.
vara
to be
han
he
tro
to believe
att
that
farlig
dangerous
undersöka
to examine
varför
which is why
seismologen
the seismologist
kratern
the crater
magman
the magma
Questions & Answers about Seismologen undersöker kratern, varför han tror att magman är farlig.
How does varför work in this sentence? Doesn't it usually mean 'why' in a question?
Yes, varför is usually the question word 'why'. However, in this advanced structure, it acts as a consecutive relative adverb meaning 'which is why' or 'and therefore'. It connects the two clauses to show that his belief about the magma is a direct logical consequence of what he is seeing while examining the crater.
Why isn't the verb inverted after varför? I learned that question words trigger verb-second (V2) word order.
When varför is used as a relative adverb to connect clauses like this, it does not act as a question word. It introduces a relative clause that uses subordinate word order, meaning the subject comes directly before the verb. This is why we see the straight order han tror instead of the inverted tror han that a direct question would require.
Why is tror used instead of tycker for 'thinks' here?
In Swedish, tror is used when you are expressing a belief about a fact that can be objectively true or false (the magma either is or isn't dangerous). Tycker is used for personal opinions or subjective feelings. Since the seismologist is making a factual, scientific assessment rather than stating a personal preference, tror is the correct verb.
What is the exact meaning of undersöker, and how is it different from just looking at the crater?
Undersöker means 'examines' or 'investigates'. It is a stronger, more methodical word than tittar på (looks at). It implies a thorough scientific or professional inspection, which is exactly what a seismologist does when studying a crater.
Is it possible to drop the word att (that) in this sentence, just like we often drop it in English?
Yes, in spoken or casual Swedish, it is quite common to drop att and just say varför han tror magman är farlig. However, keeping att is much better for clear, written Swedish, especially in formal or academic contexts like a scientist examining a volcano.
Learn Seismologen undersöker kratern, varför han tror att magman är farlig 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