Word
Det går inte alltid att dra sig undan.
Meaning
It is not always possible to withdraw.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Det går inte alltid att dra sig undan.
alltid
always
inte
not
det går att
it is possible to
dra sig undan
to withdraw
Questions & Answers about Det går inte alltid att dra sig undan.
Can I change the word order at the end to dra undan sig?
No, that won't work. Dra sig undan is a reflexive particle verb. In Swedish, the syntax rule for these is strict: the reflexive pronoun (sig) must go directly between the verb (dra) and the particle (undan). You cannot put the particle before the reflexive pronoun.
Literally, det går inte means "it does not go". How does this mean "it is not possible"?
The verb gå is heavily used in Swedish idioms to talk about whether a situation is feasible or if a solution works. The phrase det går att followed by an infinitive is the standard way to say "it is possible to" or "it can be done". Therefore, det går inte att means "it is impossible to".
What does the particle undan add to the verb dra here?
On its own, dra means "pull" or "draw", and the particle undan means "away", "aside", or "out of the way". Put together, dra sig undan paints the literal picture of "pulling oneself out of the way", which translates smoothly to "withdraw", "retreat", or "isolate oneself".
Why is the word order inte alltid rather than alltid inte?