Breakdown of Både handtaget och låset till dörren är gamla.
vara
to be
och
and
dörren
the door
till
for (to go with)
gammal
old
både
both
handtaget
the handle
låset
the lock
Questions & Answers about Både handtaget och låset till dörren är gamla.
Why do we use till here instead of just saying dörrens handtag och lås?
In Swedish, the preposition till is very commonly used to show that a specific part belongs to a larger physical whole. While dörrens handtag (the door's handle) is grammatically fine, handtaget till dörren sounds much more natural and is the standard way to talk about parts that belong to physical objects.
Why are the nouns handtaget, låset, and dörren all in the definite form?
When using till for possession or relationship, we usually put both the part and the whole in their definite (the) forms. You are talking about the specific handle and the specific lock that belong to the specific door, which is why they are not in the basic indefinite forms ett handtag or en dörr.
Why is gamla in the plural form when handtaget and låset are both singular words?
Even though handtaget and låset are singular on their own, the phrase både... och (both... and) links them together into a single plural subject. Since there are two items in total, the adjective describing them must take the plural form gamla.
How exactly does the phrase både... och work?
Både... och translates directly to both... and. It is a fixed phrase used to emphasize that two different things are equally involved. You will always see these two words paired together this way when talking about two subjects.
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