Breakdown of Vi tänkte överraska henne med en hälsning.
vi
we
en
a, an (common)
henne
her
tänka
to think (reflect)
Questions & Answers about Vi tänkte överraska henne med en hälsning.
Why use the past tense tänkte if they are planning to surprise her right now or in the future?
Using the simple past tense (preteritum) here softens the statement, making it more polite, hesitant, or modest. It is the exact Swedish equivalent of saying 'We were thinking of...' in English. Using the present tense vi tänker (we intend to) would sound much more direct, forceful, and firmly decided.
Why isn't there an att (to) before överraska?
When tänka is used to mean 'plan to' or 'intend to', it acts like an auxiliary (helping) verb. Just like ska (will) or kan (can), it connects directly to the infinitive form of the next verb without needing an att.
Could I use tyckte or trodde instead of tänkte here to mean 'thought'?
No, because they mean different things. Tänka refers to the cognitive process of thinking or intending to do something. Tycka is used for opinions (having a subjective thought about something), and tro is used for beliefs (thinking something is true). Because this sentence is about an intention, only tänkte works.
What kind of 'greeting' does hälsning usually refer to when surprising someone like this?
While it can simply mean a spoken 'hello', in a context where someone is being surprised, a hälsning is usually a tangible or digital message. It frequently refers to a greeting card, a note attached to flowers, or a recorded video message from a group of people sending their regards.