Breakdown of Vi avböjer mötet eftersom tidpunkten inte heller passar oss.
vi
we
inte
not
oss
us
mötet
the meeting
passa
to fit
eftersom
since, because
heller
either (in negative sentences, e.g. not either)
avböja
to decline
tidpunkten
the point in time
Questions & Answers about Vi avböjer mötet eftersom tidpunkten inte heller passar oss.
Why do inte and heller come before the verb passar in this sentence?
Because they are inside a subordinate clause, triggered by eftersom. In a main clause, sentence adverbs like inte and heller normally come after the verb. However, in subordinate clauses, Swedish follows the so-called BIFF rule, where sentence adverbs jump before the finite verb (passar).
Why do we use inte heller instead of a single word like varken for "neither"?
In Swedish, varken is a conjunction used strictly in pairs, like varken... eller... (neither... nor...). When you want to add a negative adverb to a sentence to mean "not either"—such as stating that a time doesn't suit you either—you must use the phrase inte heller.
What is the nuance of avböjer compared to simply saying säger nej till?
Avböjer is a formal, polite verb meaning "to decline" or "to turn down". It is the standard professional choice for rejecting meetings, offers, or invitations. While säger nej till (says no to) is grammatically correct, it can sound quite blunt in a business context.
Could I just use tiden instead of tidpunkten here?
Yes, saying tiden (the time) would work and mean roughly the same thing. However, tidpunkten is a compound of tid (time) and punkt (point), literally meaning "the point in time". It is often used in scheduling to emphasize the exact, specific time slot rather than time as a general concept.
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