Questions & Answers about Jag läser författarens bok.
How do you form författarens from the base word for author?
The base word is författare (author). First, make it definite by adding -n to get författaren (the author). Then, add the genitive -s to show possession. That gives you författarens (the author's).
Why is the word for book just bok instead of the definite form boken?
In Swedish, whenever a noun follows a genitive word (like författarens), it must stay in the basic, indefinite form. Even though it is a specific book, saying författarens boken is incorrect. This is similar to English, where we say the author's book instead of the author's the book.
Does Swedish use an apostrophe for possession like English does with author's?
No, Swedish simply attaches the -s directly to the end of the word without an apostrophe. It is always författarens, never författaren's.
Can Jag läser mean I am reading as well as I read?
Yes! Swedish only has one present tense. Jag läser translates to both I read (as a habit) and I am reading (right now). You will know which one it is from the context.
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