Publiken tittar på scenen.

to look at

Breakdown of Publiken tittar på scenen.

• scenen: the stage
• publiken: the audience

Questions & Answers about Publiken tittar på scenen.

Why is it publiken and not publik?

In Swedish, the definite form (like “the audience”) is usually made by adding an ending instead of using a separate word like “the”.

• publik = an audience / audience (in general)
• publiken = the audience

So publiken means “the audience”, with -en marking the definite form of this en-word (en publik → publiken).

Is publiken grammatically singular or plural?

Grammatically, publiken is singular. That’s why the verb is tittar (present singular form, which is the same as plural in Swedish).

Even though “the audience” refers to many people in meaning, it behaves like one group grammatically:

• Publiken tittar. – The audience is watching.
• If you wanted to emphasize individuals, you could use personer / åskådare (people / spectators) in the plural:
  
  • Åskådarna tittar på scenen. – The spectators are watching the stage.

What is the difference between titta and se?