Breakdown of Kon är på gården.
vara
to be
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
gården
the farm
kon
the cow
Questions & Answers about Kon är på gården.
Why is it "kon" and not "koen" for "the cow"?
The word for a cow is en ko. Because it is an en-word that already ends in a vowel, you just add -n instead of the full -en to make it definite (the cow).
Why do we use the preposition "på" here instead of "i"?
In Swedish, you are typically on (på) a farm or an estate, rather than in (i) it. You will also see this with open locations like an island (på ön) or a town square (på torget).
Does "gården" always mean "the farm"?
Not always! While it means the farm in this context, en gård can also mean a yard, courtyard, or estate. You can usually tell which one it is based on the context of the sentence.