Barn behöver ofta frukt som ett nyttigt mellanmål.

Children often need fruit as a healthy snack.

Breakdown of Barn behöver ofta frukt som ett nyttigt mellanmål.

• ett: a
• ofta: often
• behöva: to need
• frukten: the fruit
• barnet: the child
• som: as
• nyttig: healthy
• mellanmålet: the snack

Questions & Answers about Barn behöver ofta frukt som ett nyttigt mellanmål.

What is the function of the word Barn in the sentence?

Barn is the subject of the sentence. In Swedish, it means children and is used in the plural form without an accompanying article.

Why is the adverb ofta placed after the verb behöver, and what does it modify?

The adverb ofta, meaning often, is positioned after the verb behöver (need) to indicate the frequency of the action. In Swedish sentence structure, adverbs typically follow the verb, clarifying how often something occurs.

How does the phrase frukt som ett nyttigt mellanmål function within the sentence?

The phrase frukt som ett nyttigt mellanmål explains the role or purpose of frukt (fruit). The word som works like a linking word—similar to as in English—to connect frukt with the description ett nyttigt mellanmål (a healthy snack), specifying that the fruit is intended to serve that role.

What role does the indefinite article ett play in the phrase ett nyttigt mellanmål?

In Swedish, ett is the indefinite article used with neuter singular nouns. Since mellanmål (snack) is a neuter noun, ett indicates that the noun is indefinite. This also influences the form of the adjective nyttigt, ensuring it agrees with the neuter singular noun.

Why is the adjective nyttigt in the form it appears, and how does adjective agreement work in this context?

Adjectives in Swedish must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Because mellanmål is an indefinite neuter singular noun, the adjective takes the neuter singular form nyttigt (with the ending -t). This agreement is essential for maintaining the correct grammatical form in Swedish.