Chefen är arg eftersom jag inte har dokumentet.
The boss is angry because I do not have the document.
Breakdown of Chefen är arg eftersom jag inte har dokumentet.
jag
I
vara
to be
inte
not
ha
to have
arg
angry
chefen
the boss
eftersom
since, because
dokumentet
the document
Questions & Answers about Chefen är arg eftersom jag inte har dokumentet.
Why does inte come before har in the second half of the sentence?
This is the core of the BIFF rule! The word eftersom (because) starts a subordinate clause, which is a dependent part of the sentence. BIFF is an acronym that stands for Bisats, Inte Före Finita verbet (Subordinate clause, inte before the finite verb). Because of this rule, sentence adverbs like inte must be placed before the verb, so we say jag inte har instead of jag har inte.
Could I use därför att instead of eftersom?
Yes, därför att also means because and works perfectly here. Just like eftersom, it introduces a subordinate clause. This means the BIFF rule still applies, and you would keep the same word order: chefen är arg därför att jag inte har dokumentet.
Is there a trick to remember why the word for the document is dokumentet?
The word dokument is an ett-word, which is why it takes the -et ending to become dokumentet (the document). While you usually have to memorize noun genders in Swedish, a helpful trick is that many international loanwords (like dokument, problem, and system) are ett-words.
Would the word arg (angry) change if the subject wasn't chefen?
Yes! Swedish adjectives must match the noun they describe. Since chefen (the boss) is a singular en-word, we use the base form arg. If the subject were an ett-word, like barnet (the child), it would be argt. If you were talking about multiple bosses, it would be the plural form arga.
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