Breakdown of Den förstörda datorn är på kontoret.
vara
to be
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
datorn
the computer
kontoret
the office
den
the (with en-words)
förstörd
destroyed
Questions & Answers about Den förstörda datorn är på kontoret.
Why does förstörda end in -a here instead of being förstörd?
Förstörd is a past participle acting as an adjective (meaning "destroyed"). Just like a regular adjective, it has to match the noun it describes. Because we are talking about a specific, definite thing ("the destroyed computer"), the participle takes the definite -a ending.
Doesn't datorn already mean "the computer"? Why do we also need Den?
This is the Swedish "double definite" rule. When you describe a definite noun with an adjective (or a participle acting as an adjective, like förstörda), you must use both the standalone definite article (Den for en-words) AND the definite ending on the noun itself (datorn).
What verb does förstörda come from?
It comes from the verb att förstöra, which means "to destroy". The base past participle form is förstörd.
Why do we say på kontoret instead of i kontoret?
In Swedish, the preposition på is typically used for workplaces, public institutions, and places of activity (like på banken or på sjukhuset). Using i would sound like you are specifically emphasizing being trapped or physically enclosed inside the room.
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