A2 · Elementary Chapter 26

Subordinate Clauses

4 Total Rules
42 examples
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of connecting ideas by learning the unique Swedish 'bisats' word order rule.

  • Identify subordinate clauses in daily speech.
  • Connect thoughts using subordinating conjunctions.
  • Apply the 'inte' placement rule correctly inside clauses.
Unlock complex sentences with the Swedish bisats flow.

What You'll Learn

Understanding word order in subordinate clauses. Students will learn the 'bisats' word order rule.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Construct complex sentences using 'att' or 'eftersom' with correct word order.

Key Examples (8)

1

Eftersom han inte är här, går vi.

Because he is not here, we are leaving.

Subordinate Clauses (Bisats)
2

Jag undrar om hon inte kommer.

I wonder if she is not coming.

Subordinate Clauses (Bisats)
3

Eftersom det regnar, stannar vi inne.

Because it is raining, we stay inside.

Subordinating Conjunctions
4

När jag var liten, bodde jag i Malmö.

When I was little, I lived in Malmö.

Subordinating Conjunctions
5

Jag vet att han inte kommer.

I know that he is not coming.

Word Order in Bisats
6

Hon sa att hon inte vill ha kaffe.

She said that she doesn't want coffee.

Word Order in Bisats
7

Eftersom jag inte har tid, går jag inte.

Because I don't have time, I am not going.

Bisats Placement
8

Om du inte vill, kan vi stanna.

If you don't want to, we can stay.

Bisats Placement

Tips & Tricks (4)

💡

The 'Inte' Rule

Always look for the subjunction. Once you see it, put 'inte' before the verb.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinate Clauses (Bisats)
💡

The 'Subject First' Rule

Always check: is the subject before the verb in your dependent clause? If yes, you are golden.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinating Conjunctions
💡

The 'Inte' Test

If you see 'att', 'om', or 'eftersom', stop and check if 'inte' is before the verb.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Word Order in Bisats
💡

Use BIFF

Always remember the BIFF acronym when writing subordinate clauses.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Bisats Placement

Key Vocabulary (5)

eftersom because att that om if bisats subordinate clause huvudsats main clause

Real-World Preview

clock

Explaining a late arrival

Review Summary

  • Huvudsats + Bisats
  • Conjunction + Subject + 'inte' + Verb

Common Mistakes

In a subordinate clause, the 'inte' must come before the verb, not after.

Wrong: Jag vet att han kommer inte.
Correct: Jag vet att han inte kommer.

If the sentence starts with a bisats, the main clause must begin with the verb to maintain V2 order.

Wrong: Eftersom det regnar, jag stannar hemma.
Correct: Eftersom det regnar, stannar jag hemma.

Actually, this is correct! Students often doubt this because it feels like English, but here it matches the rule.

Wrong: Jag tror att han inte gillar kaffe.
Correct: Jag tror att han inte gillar kaffe.

Next Steps

You have done an amazing job today! Keep practicing these structures and your Swedish will sound much more natural.

Read a Swedish news article and highlight all subordinating conjunctions.

Continue to: Verb Particles

Quick Practice (10)

Fill in the blank with the correct conjunction.

Jag är glad ___ solen skiner.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: eftersom
It explains the reason.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinating Conjunctions

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Eftersom hon kommer inte, är jag ledsen.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eftersom hon inte kommer...
Adverb before verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinate Clauses (Bisats)

Which is correct?

Jag undrar ___ han kommer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: om
Indirect question.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinating Conjunctions

Find the error in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Jag vet att kommer han.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag vet att han kommer.
Subject must precede verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinating Conjunctions

Fill in the blank.

Det är bra att du ___ ___ det.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: inte glömde
Adverb before verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinate Clauses (Bisats)

Complete the sentence.

Det är synd att hon ___ ___ kan.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: inte kan
Inte + verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Bisats Placement

Which is correct?

Han sa att han ___ ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: aldrig har varit
Adverb before verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Subordinate Clauses (Bisats)

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Han sa att han har inte ätit.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Han sa att han inte har ätit.
Inte must precede the auxiliary.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Bisats Placement

Choose the correct order.

Vilken är rätt?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag tror att hon inte vill.
Subject-Negation-Verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Word Order in Bisats

Which is correct?

Om ___ inte ___ , stanna hemma.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: du inte vill
Subject + inte + verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Bisats Placement

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

It's a historical feature of Germanic languages to distinguish clause types.
Yes, 'inte', 'aldrig', 'kanske', etc., all follow this rule.
Swedish grammar requires a specific structure in dependent clauses to distinguish them from main clauses.
No, 'att' is for facts and 'om' is for questions or conditions.
It's a 'dependent clause' that cannot stand alone.
Yes, all verbs in a bisats follow this rule.
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Relative Clauses
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Verb Particles
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