Breakdown of Många stora rötter ligger på stigen.
stor
big
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
många
many
ligga
to lie (be in a horizontal position) / to be located, be situated
Questions & Answers about Många stora rötter ligger på stigen.
How does the word rötter (roots) change from its singular form?
The singular form is en rot (a root). To make it plural, Swedish doesn't just add an ending; it also changes the main vowel from o to ö and adds -ter. This vowel change is called omljud (vowel mutation). So, en rot becomes rötter.
Why do we use stora instead of stor?
In Swedish, adjectives must agree with the noun they describe. Because rötter is plural, the adjective stor (large) must take its plural form by adding an -a, becoming stora.
Could I just use är (are) instead of ligger (lie) in this sentence?
You would be understood if you used är, but Swedes strongly prefer positional verbs to describe where things are located. Because roots are spread horizontally on the ground, they use the verb for 'lie' (ligger). If you were talking about trees standing up, you would use står (stand).
Is stigen plural or singular here?
It is singular! The base word is en stig (a path). To say 'the path', you add the singular definite ending -en, making it stigen. The plural form for paths would be stigar.