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- "Han är också pilot."
19 Comments
In this case which meaning of "också" is implied? Is it "he is a pilot too (I am also a pilot)" or "he is a pilot as well (among other things)" or is there no difference? I tend to make the mistake in French with "aussi" and "en plus" so I don't want to make it with Swedish haha :)
Swedish commonly doesn't use an article with professional or religious/political affiliations an the like. That's why you say han är pilot, hon är kristen or hon är ingenjör ("He's a pilot, she's christian, she's an engineer")
Just like english, this sentence is ambiguous and could mean, "This guy works as an engineer. He also has another job as a pilot" but it could also mean "This is Bill. He is a pilot just like you." Right?
1459
Yes. But Han är pilot också only means the first, not the second. (And without context, my first choice for the one we have here would be the second.)
ive seen 'även' used to mean 'also'. are there different times to use 'även' and 'också'?
- 246
You can think of the words as "adding another item to a list". With "även" you add the word that follows to the list, so for example:
Han är även pilot - Add "pilot" to the list, which implies that it is a list of professions or similar, all of which "han" masters. Perhaps he is a gardener and a father too. (It is similar to "He is even a pilot", but in English I think there is a bit of astonishment implied in that expression, that is not present in Swedish, so it is better translated to "also".)
Även han är pilot . Here "han" follows "även", so we add "han" to the list, which implies that it is a list of different persons, all being pilots. You are a pilot, I am a pilot, and also he is a pilot.
Även du, min Brutus - Et tu, Brute.
With "också" you usually add the word coming before to the list instead, so for example:
Han är också pilot - Here "han" is added to the list, with many other pilots.
Han springer också - Here "springer" (runs) is added, he sings, runs and plays maracas.
Han vill ha en bulle också - He wants also a "bulle" (bun), in addition to coffee.
Note however that when "också" is not in the end, like in "Han är också pilot", it CAN also refer to the word after, meaning that he has other professions, even if that is not the first interpretation that comes to mind. In speech you would stress "pilot" to get that meaning.
As for picking one of them to build a sentence, I think "också" is the most commonly used.
This is amazing, thank you.
It is helpful to think of även like even grammatically.
I guess English uses word orders a bit like this with also and even but it can be more ambiguous and sometimes cause confusion, in my recollection.
Can someone explain to me why the indefinite article is implied? I know sometimes the definite article is implied but I'm not sure how to tell
No, Swedish doesn't use the article for people being things such as professions.
Yes, although this is the thread for the "translate into English exercise", so it probably isn't accepted for that reason. :)
