Breakdown of Pojken leker på gatan.
pojken
the boy
leka
to play (as children do)
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
gatan
the street
Questions & Answers about Pojken leker på gatan.
Why do we use på here for 'on the street'?
In Swedish, you generally use på (on) with streets, squares, and open public places. So, 'on the street' or 'in the street' both translate to på gatan. Using i (in) would sound like he is physically dug into the asphalt!
Could I use spelar instead of leker for 'playing'?
No, Swedish has two different words for 'play'. Leker is used for general playing, like children using their imagination or running around. Spelar is used when you play a structured game, a sport, or a musical instrument.
Why does the word for 'the boy' end in -n?
In Swedish, you do not use a separate word for 'the'. Instead, you add an ending to the noun. Pojke (boy) is an 'en-word' that ends in a vowel, so you just add -n to make it pojken (the boy).
How is gatan formed from the basic word for street?
The basic word for street is en gata. Just like with the boy, you make it 'the street' by adding an -n to the end, giving you gatan.