Breakdown of Vi bestämmer att när frånvaron är mycket hög, får studenten en skriftlig varning.
vara
to be
vi
we
en
a, an (common)
mycket
much / very
studenten
the student
när
when
hög
high / loudly
att
that
bestämma
to decide
få
to get, receive
skriftlig
written (in writing, as opposed to oral)
frånvaron
the absence
varningen
the warning
Questions & Answers about Vi bestämmer att när frånvaron är mycket hög, får studenten en skriftlig varning.
Why is the word order får studenten (verb-subject) instead of studenten får inside an att-clause?
This showcases the rule for nested subordinate clauses. Usually, an att-clause uses straight word order (subject + verb). However, when you insert a time or condition clause (när frånvaron är mycket hög) right after att, that entire nested clause acts as the first "block" of information for the rest of the sentence. To satisfy the V2 (verb-second) rule, the verb (får) must come immediately after it, pushing the subject (studenten) to the third position.
Could we avoid this tricky word order by moving the när-clause to the end?
Yes! If you move the time clause to the end, the att-clause goes back to its normal, straight word order: Vi bestämmer att studenten får en skriftlig varning när frånvaron är mycket hög. Putting the condition first, as in the original sentence, is common in formal or written Swedish when you want to emphasize the condition itself.
Why do we use the definite form frånvaron (the absence) here?
While English typically drops the article and just says "when absence is very high," Swedish uses the definite form because it relates to a specific, implied context: the absence of the student in the course. Swedish frequently uses definite forms for abstract nouns when they are anchored to a specific situation.
Is the comma after hög mandatory in Swedish?
It isn't strictly mandatory, as Swedish punctuation rules use commas less frequently between clauses than English. However, it is highly recommended in this specific structure. The comma provides a clear visual boundary right before the inverted verb (får), making it much easier to see exactly where the nested när-clause ends.
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