Breakdown of Den där stora fåtöljen är inte bekväm.
vara
to be
stor
big
inte
not
den där
that (en)
fåtöljen
the armchair
bekväm
comfortable (convenient, ergonomic)
Questions & Answers about Den där stora fåtöljen är inte bekväm.
Why do we use den där instead of det där?
Den där means "that" for en-words, and fåtölj (armchair) is an en-word. If we were pointing at an ett-word, like ett bord (a table), we would use det där instead.
Why does fåtöljen have the definite -en ending when we already said den där?
This is a rule in Swedish often called "double definiteness." When you point something out using den där (that), the noun following it must also be in its definite form. So literally, Swedish says "that the armchair."
Why is it stora with an -a at the end if there is only one armchair?
When you use a pointing word like den där, the adjective caught between it and the noun must take its definite form. For almost all adjectives, the definite form adds an -a to the end, which happens to look exactly like the plural form.
Why doesn't bekväm also end in -a like stora did?
Bekväm comes after the verb är (is) to describe the armchair, rather than being attached right in front of the noun. In this position, adjectives don't take the definite -a ending. They just match the gender and number of the noun. Since fåtölj is a singular en-word, bekväm stays in its basic, original form.
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