Breakdown of Anna letar efter en ny lägenhet eftersom hon vill bo ensam.
Anna
Anna
bo
to live
en
a
vilja
to want
hon
she
lägenheten
the apartment
leta efter
to look for
ny
new
eftersom
because
ensam
alone
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Questions & Answers about Anna letar efter en ny lägenhet eftersom hon vill bo ensam.
What does letar efter mean in the sentence?
Letar efter is a separable verb phrase from the verb "leta", meaning "to search" or "to look for." When combined with "efter", it translates to "is looking for."
Why is the article en used before ny lägenhet?
In Swedish, the indefinite article "en" is used with common gender (utrum) nouns. Since "lägenhet" (apartment) is a common gender noun, "en ny lägenhet" corresponds to the English "a new apartment."
What does eftersom mean and how does it function in this sentence?
Eftersom is a subordinating conjunction meaning "because." It introduces the subordinate clause "hon vill bo ensam," which explains the reason behind Anna’s search for a new apartment.
What is the role of "vill bo ensam" in the sentence?
The phrase "vill bo ensam" consists of the modal verb "vill" (meaning "wants") and the infinitive verb "bo" (meaning "to live"), with "ensam" meaning "alone." Together, they convey that "she wants to live alone," which is the reason Anna is looking for a new apartment.
Why does the subordinate clause include the pronoun hon, even though Anna is already mentioned in the main clause?
Swedish grammar typically requires each clause to have its own subject for clarity. Although Anna is mentioned in the main clause, the subordinate clause uses "hon" (she) to clearly indicate that the same person is being referred to.
How does the word order of this Swedish sentence compare to the English equivalent?
The sentence structure in Swedish is quite similar to English. The main clause "Anna letar efter en ny lägenhet" follows a subject–verb–object order, and the subordinate clause introduced by "eftersom" (because) follows afterwards, much like in English. One notable difference is the use of separable verbs such as "letar efter", which may not have a direct one-word equivalent in English.
What tense are the verbs in this sentence, and why are they used in the present tense?
Both "letar" and "vill" are in the present tense. This indicates that Anna is currently looking for a new apartment and that her desire to live alone is an ongoing state. Using the present tense makes the actions immediate and relevant to the current moment.