Breakdown of Jag lägger passet i resväskan nu.
jag
I
i
in
nu
now
resväskan
the suitcase
lägga
to put
passet
the passport
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Questions & Answers about Jag lägger passet i resväskan nu.
What does lägger mean in this sentence?
It’s the present tense of the verb lägga, meaning “to put” or “to place.” Here it expresses “I put” or “I am putting.”
Why is passet used instead of ett pass or pass?
pass is a neuter noun. Adding -et makes it definite singular, so passet means “the passport.” If you wanted to say “a passport,” you would use ett pass.
Why is there no separate article before resväskan?
Swedish marks definiteness with a suffix on the noun. resväska is “suitcase,” and resväskan (with -n) is “the suitcase.” To say “a suitcase,” you’d say en resväska.
What does the preposition i signify in i resväskan?
i means “in” or “into” here, indicating that the passport is being placed inside the suitcase.
Why is nu placed at the end of the sentence?
In Swedish, time adverbs like nu (“now”) can appear at the beginning, after the verb, or at the end. Putting it at the end emphasizes the timing without altering the core word order.
How does the Swedish V2 rule apply to this sentence?
Swedish main clauses follow the “verb-second” (V2) rule: the finite verb must appear in the second position. Here Jag (subject) is first, lägger (verb) is second, followed by object and adverbial phrases.
Why use lägger instead of ställer or sätter?
lägger is used for placing something down in a horizontal (flat) position. ställer is for standing something upright (e.g. a bottle), and sätter is for seating or setting something/someone. A passport is flat, so you lägger passet.
Could I say Nu lägger jag passet i resväskan?
Yes. Moving nu to the front is also correct and places slight emphasis on “now.” Swedish allows flexible placement of time adverbs without breaking the V2 rule.