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Questions & Answers about Mätarställningen är hög.
What does mätarställningen mean literally?
Literally, it is something like the meter position/setting/reading.
In actual use, mätarställning usually means a meter reading or, very often with cars, an odometer reading / mileage reading. Swedish often uses compound nouns like this:
- mätare = meter, gauge, counter
- ställning = position, state, standing
Together, they form mätarställning.
Why does mätarställningen end with -en?
The -en at the end makes the noun definite, so mätarställningen means the meter reading / the odometer reading, not just a meter reading.
Compare:
- en mätarställning = a meter reading
- mätarställningen = the meter reading
This is very common in Swedish: instead of using a separate word for the, Swedish often adds the definite ending directly to the noun.
Why is it är here?
Är is the present tense of vara, which means to be.
So:
- är = is / are / am depending on context
In this sentence, Mätarställningen är hög, it simply means The meter reading is high.
Why is it hög and not högt or höga?