Breakdown of Vilken förstående chef!
vilken
which (en) / what a (en-word, exclamatory)
chefen
the boss
förstående
understanding
Questions & Answers about Vilken förstående chef!
Why doesn't the adjective förstående have an ending to match the noun chef?
Förstående (understanding) is a present participle functioning as an adjective here. In Swedish, present participles end in either -ande or -ende, and they are invariable. This means their spelling never changes, regardless of whether the noun is an en-word, an ett-word, or plural!
How do we know to use -ende instead of -ande to turn the verb förstå into förstående?
For most verbs, you add -ande to the verb stem (like spännande). However, if the verb ends in a stressed long vowel, you add -ende instead. Since förstå ends in the stressed vowel å, it becomes förstående. You will also see this rule in words like boende (living) and troende (believing).
I learned that vilken means "which". Why is it translated as "what an" here?
You are right that vilken is usually the question word for "which". However, when used in exclamations like this one, vilken (as well as vilket and vilka) translates to "What a...!" Because chef is an en-word, we use vilken.
What would this sentence look like if we were talking about multiple bosses ("What understanding bosses!")?
It would be: Vilka förstående chefer! Notice that vilken changes to its plural form vilka, and the noun chef changes to chefer. But exactly as the rule says, the present participle förstående doesn't change at all.
Learn Vilken förstående chef and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free