Breakdown of Du borde kallprata lite, men försök att slappna av.
du
you (singular)
att
to
försöka
to try
men
but
lite
a little, a bit
slappna av
to relax
böra
should, ought to
kallprata
to make small talk
Questions & Answers about Du borde kallprata lite, men försök att slappna av.
Since this lesson is about bara as a conjunction, how would I use it here to say 'As long as you make small talk, try to relax'?
You could say Bara du kallpratar lite, så försök att slappna av. When used as a subordinating conjunction at the start of a clause, bara means 'as long as' or 'provided that', setting a condition for the rest of the sentence.
Kallprata is an interesting word. What does it literally mean?
It literally translates to 'cold talk' (kall plus prata). It is the standard Swedish term for small talk or making polite conversation. The 'cold' implies it is superficial and light, rather than a deep, warm, or personal discussion.
Why does the sentence use the past tense borde instead of the present tense bör?
Although borde is the past tense form of böra (ought to), it is most commonly used to express present or future advice, exactly like 'should' in English. If you used the present tense bör, it would sound much stronger and more formal, like a strict rule rather than friendly advice.
Why is there an att before slappna av, but not before kallprata?
Borde is a modal verb, and modal verbs in Swedish are followed directly by the bare infinitive without att. However, försök is the imperative form of försöka (to try), which is a regular verb. When you follow it with an infinitive, you need the marker att (to), just like saying 'try to relax' in English.
Is av strictly necessary in slappna av?
Yes, slappna av is a phrasal verb (partikelverb) where the stressed particle av carries the specific psychological meaning of unwinding or calming down. If you just said slappna, it would mean your body literally became slack or limp, which sounds strange in this social context.
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