Breakdown of Pojken gråter, för han är hungrig.
vara
to be
han
he
pojken
the boy
gråta
to cry
hungrig
hungry
för
because (coordinating)
Questions & Answers about Pojken gråter, för han är hungrig.
Why does för translate to "because" here?
While för often translates to the English preposition "for", it also acts as a coordinating conjunction meaning "because". It is the most common way to link a statement with its reason in everyday Swedish.
Does the word order change in the second part of the sentence after för?
No, it doesn't. Because för is a coordinating conjunction, it joins two complete sentences. The second part, han är hungrig, uses normal subject-verb word order, exactly as it would if it were standing alone.
Why does the sentence use gråter instead of a direct translation for "is crying"?
Swedish does not have a continuous tense like English does. The single present tense verb gråter translates to both "cries" and "is crying". You never use är together with another verb to show an ongoing action in Swedish.
Why does the noun end with an "n" in Pojken?
The basic word for a boy is pojke. To say "the boy", Swedish attaches the definite article to the end of the noun instead of putting a separate word in front of it. Adding the suffix "-n" makes it Pojken.
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