Breakdown of Stämningen känns avslappnad eftersom chefen inte är här.
vara
to be
här
here
inte
not
chefen
the boss
eftersom
since, because
kännas
to feel (to have a certain feel, to seem)
stämningen
the atmosphere
avslappnad
relaxed
Questions & Answers about Stämningen känns avslappnad eftersom chefen inte är här.
Why does the verb känns end in an 's' here?
It is used here to express an impression or a feeling given off by something, translating to 'feels' (as in 'is felt by others'). In Swedish, we use the passive 's' ending for this. If you used känner, it would mean the atmosphere itself is actively feeling something!
Why is the adjective avslappnad and not avslappnat?
Even though it comes after a verb of impression (känns), the predicative adjective must still agree with the noun it describes. Stämning is an en-word, so we use the en-word form avslappnad. If the noun were an ett-word, like mötet (the meeting), it would be Mötet känns avslappnat.
Why is the word order inte är här instead of är inte här?
The word eftersom (because) starts a subordinate clause (a sentence part that cannot stand on its own). In Swedish subordinate clauses, sentence adverbs like inte must come before the verb. This is often taught as the BIFF-rule: Bisats (subordinate clause), Inte Före Finita verbet (before the conjugated verb).
Does avslappnad come from a verb?
Yes! It is the past participle of the phrasal verb slappna av (to relax). In Swedish, past participles are frequently used exactly like regular adjectives to describe states or conditions, and just like adjectives, they change their ending to match the noun's gender and number.
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