Questions & Answers about Replokalen är liten men bra.
Why is replokalen written as one word, and what does the -en ending mean?
Swedish often forms compound nouns by writing the parts together as one word.
So replokalen is made from:
- rep = rehearsal
- lokal = room, premises, space
Together, replokal means rehearsal room or practice room.
The ending -en is the definite article attached to the noun, so:
- en replokal = a rehearsal room
- replokalen = the rehearsal room
This is very common in Swedish: instead of putting a separate word like the before the noun, Swedish usually adds the definite ending to the noun itself.
Why is there no separate word for the before replokalen?
Because Swedish usually puts definiteness on the noun itself.
In English, you say:
- the room
In Swedish, you often say:
- rummet = the room
- lokalen = the premises / the room
- replokalen = the rehearsal room
So replokalen already contains the idea of the, and adding another separate article would normally be wrong here.
Why is it är?