Questions & Answers about Ni är långsamma idag.
Why does the adjective end in "-a" here?
Because the subject of the sentence is Ni (you plural). In Swedish, when an adjective describes a plural subject, it takes the plural form. For most adjectives, this means adding an -a to the end of the word.
The base word for slow is långsam. Why does långsamma have a double "m"?
When adding the plural -a to an adjective ending in a short vowel followed by -m or -n, the consonant usually doubles. This double consonant is a spelling rule that tells you to keep pronouncing the vowel before it as a short sound.
Does Ni always mean plural "you", or can it be a formal singular "you"?
In modern Swedish, Ni is almost always the plural "you" (like "you guys" or "y'all"). While it used to be a formal singular "you", you rarely hear it used that way today. Since it acts as a plural subject here, the adjective must match it with the plural form långsamma.
Is it also correct to write idag as two separate words?
Yes! You will see it written as both idag and i dag. Both spellings are completely correct, mean exactly the same thing, and are very common in everyday Swedish.
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