Gärningsmannen är fortfarande okänd.

Breakdown of Gärningsmannen är fortfarande okänd.

vara
to be
fortfarande
still
gärningsmannen
the perpetrator
okänd
unknown

Questions & Answers about Gärningsmannen är fortfarande okänd.

How does the word gärningsmannen break down?
It is a compound noun made of gärning (deed or act), a linking -s-, and mannen (the man). Literally, it means the man of the deed, which is the standard Swedish term for a perpetrator or culprit.
Could we use okänd as a noun here, since this lesson is about turning adjectives into nouns?
Yes, but it would change the sentence structure. Here, okänd is just a normal describing adjective. To use it as a noun meaning the unknown person, you would say den okände (for a male) or den okända (for a female or general person). For example: Den okände är fortfarande på fri fot (The unknown person is still at large).
Why does okänd end in -d here instead of -t or -a?
Because it is describing gärningsmannen, which is an en word in the singular. If the subject were an ett word like brottet (the crime), it would be okänt. If it were plural, like gärningsmännen (the perpetrators), it would be okända.
Can I put fortfarande at the beginning of the sentence?
Yes, but remember the V2 rule! If you start with the adverb, the verb must come second, right before the subject. It would become: Fortfarande är gärningsmannen okänd. This places a lot of emphasis on the word still.

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