Menyn är kort idag, men maten smakar dåligt.

The menu is short today, but the food tastes bad.

Breakdown of Menyn är kort idag, men maten smakar dåligt.

• vara: to be
• maten: the food
• idag: today
• men: but
• dålig: bad
• smaka: to taste
• menyn: the menu
• kort: short

Questions & Answers about Menyn är kort idag, men maten smakar dåligt.

Why is it Menyn with -n at the end?

Swedish marks definiteness with a suffix on the noun (instead of a separate the). For an en-word like meny:

• en meny = a menu
• menyn = the menu
• flera menyer = menus
• menyerna = the menus You could also combine a determiner + adjective + definite noun: den korta menyn (the short menu).

Why is it kort and not korta after är?

After a linking verb like är, adjectives are in predicative position. They agree in number (singular/plural) but not in definiteness:

• Singular: Menyn är kort.
• Plural: Menyerna är korta. Attributive (before a definite noun) you use the definite form: den korta menyn.

Does kort here mean small? Could I use liten instead?

• kort = short/limited in length, time, or extent. With meny, en kort meny means a limited selection.
• liten = small in physical size or small amount. En liten meny might mean a physically small menu card or a very small-format menu, but for “few choices” kort is the idiomatic word.

Is idag one word or two (i dag)?

Both i dag and idag are correct. The two-word form is more traditional; the one-word form is very common in everyday writing. Pick one style and be consistent.

Where can i dag/idag go in the sentence?

Swedish is a V2 language (the finite verb is in second position):

• Neutral: Menyn är kort i dag.
• Fronted time: I dag är menyn kort.
• More formal/emphatic mid-field: Menyn är i dag kort. After the comma: …, men i dag smakar maten dåligt. (adverb first, so the verb smakar stays in second position)

Do I need the comma before men?

Yes, it’s standard to place a comma before men when it introduces a new independent clause: …, men …. If you’re only linking phrases or single words (not a full clause), you normally skip the comma (e.g., Menyn är kort men dyr).

Does men cause inversion of word order?

No. men is a coordinating conjunction. The next clause keeps normal order (Subject–Verb–…):

• …, men maten smakar dåligt. Only if you front something (like i dag) do you put the verb second:
• …, men i dag smakar maten dåligt.

Why is it smakar dåligt, not smakar dåliga or smakar dålig?

With sensory verbs like smaka, lukta, kännas, you typically use an adverb-like form (often the neuter -t form): gott, bra, dåligt, illa, äckligt.

• Maten smakar dåligt/illa.
  Using dålig/dåliga would describe the food itself (e.g., Maten är dålig), not how it tastes.

Which is more natural: smakar dåligt or smakar illa?

Both are used, but smakar illa is very idiomatic in the negative. smakar dåligt is also common and understood; some speakers feel illa is a bit more natural for taste and smell.

Can I say smakar bra instead of smakar gott?

Yes. Smakar gott specifically targets flavor and often implies “tasty/delicious.” Smakar bra is very common and means it tastes good (more general). Both are fine in modern usage.

How do I say “tastes like …” (with a noun)?

Use smakar som + noun:

• Det smakar som kyckling.
• Soppan smakar som tomater. For quality, use an adjective/adverb: Soppan smakar gott/illa.

How does smaka conjugate?

Regular (group 1) verb:

• Infinitive: smaka
• Present: smakar
• Past: smakade
• Supine: smakat
• Imperative: smaka! Examples: Maten smakade gott i går. / Jag har smakat rätten.

What’s the difference between men, utan, and fast?

• men = but (neutral contrast): Menyn är kort, men maten smakar dåligt.
• utan = but rather (after a negation): Maten smakar inte gott, utan illa.
• fast = though/but (colloquial): Menyn är kort, fast maten är dyr.

Why is it maten with -en if “food” is uncountable?

Mass nouns can take the definite form to refer to a specific, contextually known instance. mat (food) → maten (the food, i.e., the food served/being discussed).

• Maten var kall. (The food [we got] was cold.)
  If you mean a dish, use rätt: Rätten smakade gott.

Any quick pronunciation tips for the key words?

Approximate hints (Swedish varies by region):

• menyn: meh-NEEN (y is a front rounded vowel, like French u).
• är: like “air” (short r).
• kort: short “o” (like British “off”); final rt merges to a single retroflex t.
• i dag/idag: ee-DAAG (broad a).
• men: mehn.
• maten: MAH-ten (long a).
• smakar: SMAH-kar.
• dåligt: DOH-lit; the å is a long o-sound; many say DOH-lit, some DOH-likt.