Questions & Answers about Har kunden inte betalat ännu?
How do I know to use the -at ending for betalat?
Betalat is the supinum form of the verb betala (to pay). Because betala is a Group 1 verb, which means it ends in -a in the infinitive and -ar in the present tense, you form its supinum by just adding a -t to the infinitive. We use this supinum form together with har to create the present perfect tense.
Why are har and betalat separated by other words?
In Swedish, the helping verb (har) and the main verb (betalat) don't have to stay next to each other. In a question, the helping verb comes first, followed by the subject (kunden). Any adverbs like inte come next, and only then do we place the main verb. This is why kunden and inte sit right in the middle of har betalat.
Why can't I put inte right after har like in English 'Hasn't the customer...'?
In Swedish, you cannot combine the verb and inte into a single word like 'hasn't', and the subject almost always needs to stay glued to the first verb. Because har takes the first spot to form the question, the subject (kunden) must immediately follow it. Therefore, inte has to wait until after the subject.
Could I use redan instead of at the end of the sentence?