Vems paraply ligger här?

Whose umbrella is lying here?

Breakdown of Vems paraply ligger här?

• ligga: to lie
• här: here
• paraplyet: the umbrella
• vems: whose

Questions & Answers about Vems paraply ligger här?

What does vems mean and how do I use it?

• vems means whose (interrogative possessive).
• It’s invariable: same form for singular/plural and for all genders and animacy.
• It directly precedes a noun: Vems paraply…
• It can also stand alone: Vems är det?
• It’s the genitive of vem formed with -s, written as one word, with no apostrophe: vems.

Why is it paraply and not paraplyet after vems?

• With a genitive possessor (like vems, Annas, grannens), Swedish keeps the noun in the indefinite form and does not add the definite ending.
• Examples:
  • Vems telefon ringer? (not: Vems telefonen ringer?)
  • Kalles bil står här. (not: Kalles bilen står här.)
• So: Vems paraply…, not Vems paraplyet…

Why is the word order Vems paraply ligger… and not Ligger vems paraply…?

• Swedish main clauses are V2: the finite verb is in second position.
• The entire phrase Vems paraply counts as the first constituent, so the verb ligger comes second: Vems paraply (1) ligger (2) här (3).
• Ligger vems paraply här? is unidiomatic.

Why use ligger instead of är?

• Swedish prefers posture/location verbs to describe where things are:
  • ligger = lies/is lying (resting horizontally)
  • står = stands/is standing (upright, on its base)
  • sitter = is stuck/attached/fitted
  • hänger = hangs/is hanging
• An umbrella on a table: Paraplyet ligger här. In a stand: Paraplyet står här.
• Är här is possible but more neutral; posture verbs sound more idiomatic.

What verb is ligger, and what are its principal parts?

• ligger is present tense of ligga (to lie, be situated).
• Principal parts: ligga – låg – legat.
• Do not confuse with lägga – lägger – lade – lagt (to lay/put).

Can I ask the same thing in another way?

• Yes, for example:
  • Vems paraply är det här?
  • Det ligger ett paraply här. Vems är det?
  • Vems är det här paraplyet?
• The original with ligger highlights the umbrella’s position on a surface.

How do I answer this question naturally?

• With a possessive pronoun:
  • Det är mitt/ditt/hans/hennes/vårt/ert/deras.
  • Note: paraply is an ett-word, so the standalone form is mitt (not min).
• With a name in genitive:
  • Det är Annas. / Det är Karls.
• With a full noun phrase:
  • Det är mitt paraply.

Do I ever put an article after vems? For example, Vems ett paraply…?

• No. After genitives like vems, Annas, grannens, use a bare noun with no article and no definite ending:
  • Vems bok…, Annas cykel…, grannens hund…

Is paraply an en- or ett-word, and what’s the definite form?

• It’s an ett-word: ett paraply.
• Definite singular: paraplyet.
• With a demonstrative: det här paraplyet.

Can vems be used with plural nouns?

• Yes; vems never changes:
  • Vems paraplyer ligger här?
  • Vems skor står här?

What’s the difference between vems and vars?

• vems is for direct questions:
  • Vems paraply ligger här?
• vars is a relative ‘whose’ inside a clause (not a direct question):
  • Mannen vars paraply ligger här är min granne.

Why is it här and not hit?

• här = here (location, static). Use with state verbs like ligger.
• hit = to here (direction, movement). Use with motion verbs:
  • Vem tar med ett paraply hit?

Could I start with Här: Här ligger vems paraply?

• No. Swedish fronts the question word; you don’t leave it in place.
• Correct: Vems paraply ligger här?
• If you want to start with Här, make it a statement plus a follow-up question:
  • Här ligger ett paraply. Vems är det?

Any pronunciation tips for the words in this sentence?

• vems: short e, like English “men”.
• paraply: stress on the last syllable (pa-ra-PLY); y is the rounded vowel [y], like German ü/French u.
• ligger: hard g; the double g signals a short preceding vowel and a long consonant.
• här: long ä ([ɛː]), similar to the vowel in “air” but without a glide.