adverbconjunctionnoun

då

when · then

Ett ord som används för att prata om en viss tidpunkt i det förflutna eller framtiden.

Swedish word: då

English translation/meaning:

  1. Then (in time) — referring to a specific moment or point in time.
  2. Because/Since — used to indicate cause or reason (somewhat formal or more frequently in written language).
  3. At that time or in that case — indicating a condition or circumstance.

Usage examples:

  • Temporal context (then):
    Jag var där då.
    "I was there then."

  • Cause/reason:
    Jag kan inte komma, då jag är upptagen.
    "I can't come, because I am busy."

  • Conditional sense:
    Om du är trött, då ska du vila.
    "If you are tired, then you should rest."


Related words and distinctions:

  • då vs. när:
    Both can translate to "when" or "then," but "när" is primarily used for questions and situations referring to 'when' something happens (time) — e.g., När kommer du? ("When are you coming?"). "Då" often points to a specific time already mentioned or known ("then").

  • då vs. därför:
    "Då" used as "because/since" is more formal or structural, often found in written Swedish, while "därför" is more straightforward for expressing "therefore" or "that's why" in speech.


Summary:
då is a versatile adverb commonly meaning "then," indicating time, cause, or condition depending on the context. It differs slightly from synonyms like när (more question/time focused) and is less common than därför when expressing causal relations in everyday speech.

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Examples

Vi går hem då det blir mörkt.conjunction

We go home when it gets dark.

Jag var sjuk då vi reste.conjunction

I was sick when we traveled.

Då sov alla barnen gott.adverb

Then all the children slept well.

Hon skrattade högt då han berättade skämtet.conjunction

She laughed loudly when he told the joke.

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