Breakdown of Handtaget till den där dörren är trasigt.
vara
to be
dörren
the door
till
for (to go with)
trasig
broken
Questions & Answers about Handtaget till den där dörren är trasigt.
Why do we use till instead of an -s to say "the door's handle"?
In Swedish, till is frequently used to express relationships between physical objects, like a part belonging to a whole. While you could technically say dörrens handtag (the door's handle), using till (handtaget till dörren) sounds much more natural and conversational for everyday inanimate objects.
Why does dörren have the definite -en ending after den där?
When you use den där (that) or den här (this), Swedish requires the noun that follows it to also be in the definite form. You are literally saying "that the door" (den där dörren). This is a strict rule in Swedish grammar often called the "double definite".
Why does the adjective trasigt end in a -t?
The adjective must agree with the noun it describes, which in this sentence is the subject: handtaget (the handle). Because handtag is an ett-word, the adjective trasig (broken) must take the -t ending, becoming trasigt.
Why is the word for handle (ett handtag) an ett-word when en hand is an en-word?