Breakdown of Den erfarna kvinnan fick tjänsten i fjol.
kvinnan
the woman
den
the (with en-words)
fjol
last year (used in 'i fjol')
tjänsten
the position
få
to get, receive
erfaren
experienced
Questions & Answers about Den erfarna kvinnan fick tjänsten i fjol.
Why do we use the simple past fick here instead of the present perfect (har fått)?
Because the sentence includes the time marker i fjol (last year), which refers to a specific, completed time in the past. In Swedish, just like in English, a specific past time phrase requires the simple past tense (preteritum) rather than the present perfect.
Why does the adjective have an -a at the end in Den erfarna kvinnan?
This is an example of the Swedish double definite rule. When you describe a specific noun (kvinnan), you need the freestanding article (den), the definite suffix on the noun (-an), and the definite form of the adjective, which almost always ends in -a (erfarna).
Is i fjol just another way to say förra året?
Yes, both mean last year and are largely interchangeable. I fjol is a very common fixed expression, whereas förra året literally means the previous year. You will hear native speakers use both frequently.
Why use tjänsten instead of jobbet for the job?
While jobbet means the job in a general sense, tjänsten specifically translates to the position or the post. It sounds slightly more professional, which fits well when talking about an experienced candidate being hired for a specific role.
Learn Den erfarna kvinnan fick tjänsten i fjol and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free