Questions & Answers about Ni är ofta trötta.
Why does trötta end with an -a here?
Because the subject ni (you, plural) is more than one person! In Swedish, adjectives change to match the subject. When the subject is plural, you add an -a to the adjective. If it were just one person, it would be Du är ofta trött (without the -a).
Does the verb är change because ni is plural?
No, Swedish verbs never change to match the subject! Whether it is jag är (I am), hon är (she is), or ni är (you all are), the verb stays exactly the same. In this sentence, only the adjective (trötta) changes to show that it is plural.
Why is ofta placed after the verb?
In Swedish main sentences, adverbs like ofta (often), inte (not), and alltid (always) usually come directly after the verb. You will always see är ofta rather than ofta är.
If I use ni formally to speak to one person, do I still use trötta?
No! If you are using the older, formal Ni to speak politely to one single person, the adjective stays in the singular form: Ni är ofta trött. However, this formal use is quite rare in modern Sweden. Today, ni almost always means "you all," which is why we use the plural trötta here.
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