"We ask the guard to call the police."

Translation: Vi ber vakten ringa polisen.

[daneosaurus]

I'm still a little confused about this. When do you need to use "att", and when do you not?

[Arnauti]

It's different for different verbs. In this case, either way works.

[jaxxist]

is it quite rare for both cases to be acceptable?

[Arnauti]

No. It's different for each verb, sometimes both are ok, sometimes att is necessary, sometimes you can't have att. There are many cases of all three, and unfortunately you have to learn them from case to case.

[SunnySundquist]

I understand that. My question is, will a native Swede understand us if we miss or add the "att"? And if they understand, will they let it pass, or correct us? Okej det var två frågor...

[Valka_Ironside]

I'm not native but I think they would understand anyway, and for the second question; i think some of them would, but mostly not, they tend to let it pass, even just speak english with non-native because it's easier for everyone, even if you keep asking them to speak swedish with you (at least thats my personal experience). Also, I've seen this a lot in many occasions, no matter which language you are speaking, most people tend to not say anything when they hear a mistake because they are afraid to offend the other person.

[Spatzi92]

Can somebody explain why fragar doesn't work? Is there a difference between fragar and ber? Tack!

[friswing]

Frågar = ask a question. Ber = ask for help, or a favour etc.

[Spatzi92]

Tack så mycket! :)

[Aristotels]

So do we have to remember these verbs and whether they take "Att" or not by heart?

[friswing]

I would suggest that you learn that after modal verbs (will, may etc) there is No 'att': Jag ska leka, Jag måste arbeta, Jag brukar arbeta. In other cases I suppose it can be optional ... I have not thought it throu, since it is my native language... :P

[Metlieb]

I just recently had a discussion about it here: https://www.duolingo.com/comment/7075383$comment_id=7078343

You can find there some good rules when to use att and when not.

[AleksaKinaya]

Why can't "väktaren" be accepted as a variant instead of "vakten"?

[Arnauti]

That should be accepted, I'm adding it.

[vodamark]

I don't understand this solution without "att". According to what I've learned in SFI, this is a bisats and it requires a bisatsinledare. They told us there are 2 things reqired for a bisats: the inledare and that the sats can't stand on its own. How can it then be omitted?

[verbumentis]

Can it be vi ber vakten for att ringa polisen?

[friswing]

No, the 'for' does not make any sense in this sentence. It is either "Vi ber vakten ringa polisen" or "Vi ber vakten att ringa polisen", the latter one (with 'att') is nowadays more common in written language than spoken.