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Vi var på marknaden för drygt en timme sedan.

Vi var på marknaden för drygt en timme sedan.
We were at the market just over an hour ago.
From Lesson 162:Quantity approximations (drygt, knappt)·Swedish

Questions & Answers about Vi var på marknaden för drygt en timme sedan.

What exactly does drygt mean in this sentence?
The word drygt means "a little more than" or "just over". In this sentence, it tells us that they were at the market slightly more than one hour ago. If it had been slightly less than an hour, you would use knappt instead.
The word for hour, en timme, is an en-word. Why does drygt end with a -t?
When drygt is used to approximate an amount (meaning "just over"), it acts as an adverb. In Swedish, adverbs typically get a -t at the end. Because of this, it stays drygt regardless of whether the noun following it is an en-word or an ett-word.
How do you form the expression for "ago" in this sentence?
To say "ago" in Swedish, you use the split phrase för ... sedan. The amount of time always goes right in the middle. So "an hour ago" becomes för en timme sedan, and "just over an hour ago" becomes för drygt en timme sedan.
Why do we use the preposition på for "at the market"?
The preposition på is commonly used for locations that are traditionally open public spaces, events, or institutions. Because a market (en marknad) is historically an open area or gathering, you are på marknaden (at the market) rather than physically inside it.

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