Questions & Answers about Du köper ofta frimärken här.
Why is the plural word for stamps frimärken instead of ending in -r like some other plurals?
Frimärke (stamp) is an ett word that ends in a vowel. Nouns like this belong to a specific group (often called Group 4) that form their plural by simply adding -n. So, ett frimärke becomes flera frimärken (several stamps).
Why is ofta (often) placed after the verb köper? In English we say 'often buy'.
In Swedish main sentences, the verb normally has to be in the second position. Since the subject du (you) is in the first position, the verb köper (buy) must come right after it. Adverbs like ofta (often) are then pushed to the position after the verb.
What is the singular form of frimärken?
The singular is ett frimärke. It is a compound word made up of fri (free) and märke (mark, label, or badge).
Is the 'k' in köper pronounced like a hard English 'k'?
No, because it is followed by the soft vowel ö. In Swedish, when k comes before a soft vowel (like e, i, y, ä, or ö), it makes a soft sound, similar to the 'sh' or 'ch' sound in English.