Questions & Answers about Vi behöver två och en halv deciliter mjöl.
Why do we use en halv here instead of ett halvt?
The fraction has to agree with the noun it is describing. Because deciliter is an en-word (en deciliter), we use en halv. If we were measuring something that is an ett-word, like ett kilo, we would say två och ett halvt kilo.
Why is deciliter singular when the recipe calls for more than one?
In Swedish, many units of measurement (like liter, deciliter, and meter) stay in their singular form when they come directly after a number. While the normal plural of deciliter is decilitrar, you only use that plural form when talking about the units in a general sense, not when stating exact quantities.
The English translation says 'deciliters of flour'. Why is there no word for 'of' in the Swedish sentence?
When expressing a measurement or quantity of a substance in Swedish, you simply put the measurement word and the substance word right next to each other. You do not use a preposition like av (of) between them.
Could I say hälften av en deciliter to mean 'a half deciliter'?
While mathematically the same, en halv deciliter is the standard, natural way to express a measurement. The phrase hälften av means 'half of' a specific, known amount, so you would use it for a phrase like hälften av mjölet (half of the flour).