Breakdown of Jag förstår inte varför programmet inte svarar.
jag
I
inte
not
förstå
to understand
varför
why
svara
to answer
programmet
the program
Questions & Answers about Jag förstår inte varför programmet inte svarar.
Why is inte placed after the verb in the first half, but before the verb in the second half?
This sentence perfectly shows the BIFF rule in action! In the main clause (Jag förstår inte), Swedish follows the normal rule of putting inte after the verb. But the second part (varför programmet inte svarar) is a subordinate clause (a sentence part that adds information and starts with a linking word like varför). The BIFF rule tells us that in a subordinate clause, inte must come before the verb.
What exactly does BIFF stand for?
Doesn't svarar usually mean answers? Is that what Swedes say when a computer freezes?
Yes! In English you would normally say the program is not responding, but in Swedish, the verb svarar is used both for people answering a question and for technology responding to a command or input.
Why does program get an extra M in programmet?
Program is an ett word. To make it definite (the program), you add -et. Because the final syllable has a short vowel sound, Swedish spelling rules require you to double the final consonant so the pronunciation doesn't change, resulting in programmet.
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