Breakdown of Din nya bok ligger i biblioteket.
i
in
boken
the book
biblioteket
the library
ligga
to lie
din
your
ny
new
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Swedish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Din nya bok ligger i biblioteket.
Why is the adjective nya used instead of ny in this sentence?
In Swedish, adjectives must agree with the definiteness of the noun they describe. When a noun is accompanied by a possessive like din (your), it’s treated as definite. Therefore, ny (new) takes the definite form nya to match the definite sense of bok (book).
Why is the verb ligger used instead of a simple form of är (is)?
Swedish often uses verbs that indicate physical positioning to describe where an object is located. Although the sentence translates to “Your new book is in the library,” using ligger (lies) provides extra information about the book’s placement—suggesting it is resting somewhere, as opposed to just existing. This is similar to how Swedish sometimes uses står (stands) for objects in an upright position.
What does the preposition i mean in i biblioteket?
The preposition i in Swedish means “in.” In the phrase i biblioteket, it indicates that the book is located inside the library.
Why does the noun biblioteket include the suffix -et?
In Swedish, definite singular nouns are typically formed by adding a suffix to the base word. The word bibliotek (library) becomes biblioteket in its definite form, which is equivalent to “the library” in English.
Why is the possessive pronoun din used rather than ditt in this sentence?
Swedish possessive pronouns must agree with the gender of the noun they modify. The noun bok (book) is a common-gender noun. Therefore, the correct possessive form is din (your), whereas ditt is used with neuter nouns.
Can the sentence word order be changed without affecting its meaning?
Yes, Swedish word order is relatively flexible. For example, you might say I biblioteket ligger din nya bok to emphasize the location. However, the standard structure—with the subject din nya bok, followed by the verb ligger and the location i biblioteket—is the most straightforward and commonly used order.