Breakdown of Vi är vana vid kallt väder i norr.
vara
to be
vi
we
kall
cold
i
in
vädret
the weather
norr
north
van vid
used to
Questions & Answers about Vi är vana vid kallt väder i norr.
Why is there no article before kallt väder?
Väder is an uncountable mass noun here. Just like in English, Swedish drops the article when making general statements about mass nouns or materials.
Why does kallt have a -t at the end if there is no ett before it?
Väder is an ett-word. Even though we are using the zero article for a general statement, the adjective still has to agree with the noun's gender. So, kall becomes kallt.
Why is it vana instead of van?
Van acts as an adjective here meaning "used to" or "accustomed". Because the subject vi (we) is plural, the adjective must take the plural -a ending to become vana.
Why do we use the preposition vid here?
The adjective van is paired with the preposition vid to mean "used to". It is a fixed combination you should memorize: att vara van vid (to be used to).
What is the difference between norr and norra?
Norr is a noun meaning "the north", which is why we use it in the phrase i norr (in the north). Norra is an adjective meaning "northern", used when describing another noun, like i norra Sverige (in northern Sweden).
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