Breakdown of Han letar efter det gamla tornet där klockan är.
vara
to be
han
he
klockan
the clock
gammal
old
Questions & Answers about Han letar efter det gamla tornet där klockan är.
Why do we use 'där' here instead of 'var' to mean 'where'?
Var is used for asking direct questions. When "where" connects two parts of a sentence to describe a place (a relative clause), you must use där. Here, it points back to the location, det gamla tornet.
Why is the word order 'där klockan är' instead of 'där är klockan'?
The phrase där klockan är is a subordinate clause, which is a supporting part of the sentence that cannot stand on its own. In these clauses, the subject (klockan) must come before the verb (är).
Why is it 'det gamla tornet'? Isn't 'tornet' already definite?
Yes, tornet already has the ending that means "the". However, when you put an adjective like gamla in front of a definite noun, Swedish requires "double definiteness". You need the separate article (det), the definite adjective (gamla), and the definite noun (tornet).
Why do we need 'efter' after 'letar'?
To say you are "looking for" or "searching for" a specific thing, Swedish uses the two-word phrasal verb letar efter. If you left out efter, it would sound like he is searching the tower itself, rather than trying to find it.