Breakdown of Stämningen känns ganska främmande här.
här
here
kännas
to feel (to have a certain feel, to seem)
ganska
quite
stämningen
the atmosphere
Questions & Answers about Stämningen känns ganska främmande här.
Why do we use känns here instead of känner?
Känns is the s-form of the verb känner (to feel). When you are describing an impression—how something comes across or feels to you—you use the s-form. If you used the active verb känner, it would sound like the atmosphere itself is physically touching or emotionally feeling something!
Why doesn't the adjective främmande change its ending to match the noun?
Adjectives that end in -ande or -ende are indeclinable. This means they are locked in that form and never change, regardless of whether they describe an en-word like stämningen, an ett-word, or a plural noun.
Does främmande usually mean "foreign"?
Yes! Its core meaning is "foreign" or "alien". When talking about a mood, vibe, or situation that you aren't used to, "unfamiliar" is simply the most natural-sounding English translation. The Swedish sentence literally says the atmosphere feels foreign.
Could I use stämning to talk about my own personal mood?
No, en stämning specifically refers to the atmosphere, vibe, or collective mood of a place, event, or group. If you want to talk about a person's internal, individual mood, you would use the word ett humör instead.