Questions & Answers about De trivs i äktenskapet.
How is the word äktenskap formed using the -skap suffix?
It comes from the adjective äkta, which means genuine or married, combined with the suffix -skap. Similar to the English suffixes -ship or -hood, -skap is used to create abstract nouns out of adjectives or other nouns, effectively turning "married" into "marriage".
Äktenskapet has the definite -et ending, making it an ett-word. Do all -skap words have the same gender?
No, words ending in -skap are split between en-words and ett-words, so you have to learn them individually. While äktenskap (marriage), sällskap (company), and landskap (landscape) are ett-words, other common ones like vänskap (friendship) and kunskap (knowledge) are en-words.
Why does the verb trivs end in an -s? Is this a passive sentence?
It is not passive. The infinitive form is trivas, which is a "deponent" verb. This means it always ends in an -s in all tenses, but it has a completely active meaning. It is just a structural quirk of this specific verb.
The English translation says they "are happy", but doesn't trivs literally mean "thrive"?
Yes, literally it translates to "thrive". However, in Swedish, att trivas is the most natural and common way to express that you feel comfortable, enjoy, or are happy with a specific place, situation, or arrangement. Saying de är glada here would sound a bit unnatural, as if they are just generally cheerful people who happen to be inside a marriage.
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