Numret var fel, men hennes svar var rätt.

The number was wrong, but her answer was right.

Breakdown of Numret var fel, men hennes svar var rätt.

• vara: to be
• men: but
• hennes: her
• svaret: the answer

Questions & Answers about Numret var fel, men hennes svar var rätt.

What gender is nummer, and why is it numret here?

Nummer is a neuter noun (an ett-word): ett nummer. In the definite singular, neuter nouns take the ending -et, so it becomes numret. Plurals:

• Indefinite plural: nummer
• Definite plural: numren (you’ll also hear nummerna in informal speech)

Why do fel and rätt have no endings here?

They’re used predicatively after vara (to be). In this predicative use:

• fel is invariable: Det är/var fel.
• rätt is commonly invariable as well: Det är/var rätt; Hennes svar var rätt. If you want an adjective that clearly inflects for number/gender, use korrekt/korrekta or riktig/riktigt/riktiga.

Could I say Numret var felaktigt or Svaret var korrekt/riktigt instead? Any nuance?