Breakdown of Lars hörde att hon är otrogen.
vara
to be
hon
she
höra
to hear
Lars
Lars
att
that
otrogen
unfaithful
Questions & Answers about Lars hörde att hon är otrogen.
Why do we use the present tense är when the first verb hörde is in the past tense?
Because the situation is still currently true. Lars heard the news in the past (hörde), but she is still unfaithful right now (är). Just like in English, Swedish can mix tenses in indirect speech if the information is still an ongoing fact.
If Lars had heard a rumor that he himself was the one being unfaithful, how would the pronoun change?
You would use han (he) instead of hon (she), making it Lars hörde att han är otrogen. In indirect speech, you have to shift the pronoun to match exactly who the statement is about.
How would I add 'not' to the indirect speech part of this sentence?
You would say Lars hörde att hon inte är otrogen. Because the second half of the sentence is a subordinate clause starting with att, the negative word inte must be placed before the verb är.
What is the root of the word otrogen?
It is made by adding the negative prefix o- (which means un- or not) to the word trogen (which means faithful or loyal).
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