Breakdown of Hur ska ni fira den tolfte juli?
ni
you (plural, subject)
hur
how
ska
will
den
the (with en-words)
juli
July
tolfte
twelfth
fira
to celebrate
Questions & Answers about Hur ska ni fira den tolfte juli?
Why do we need the word den before tolfte juli?
In Swedish, when you state a specific date, you use the definite article den (meaning 'the') before the ordinal number. It works just like English where you say 'the twelfth of July', but notice there is no Swedish word for 'of' in this structure.
How does the number tolv (twelve) turn into the ordinal number tolfte (twelfth)?
Most ordinal numbers from 3 to 12 in Swedish end in -te, but tolv is a bit irregular. It drops the 'v' and adds -fte to become tolfte. This minor spelling change makes it much easier to pronounce!
Why is the verb fira (celebrate) in its basic form instead of the present tense firar?
Because it directly follows the helper verb ska (are going to). Just like in English, helper verbs are followed by the basic dictionary form (infinitive) of the main verb, which in Swedish usually means it does not have an 'r' at the end.
Could I use kommer att instead of ska to mean 'going to' in this sentence?
You could, but ska sounds much more natural here. Ska is specifically used when someone has an active plan or intention to do something. Since celebrating a holiday is an intentional plan, ska is the perfect fit.
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