Breakdown of Hon gav ett oförskämt svar när jag bad henne sänka volymen.
jag
I
ett
a, an (neuter)
hon
she
svaret
the answer
henne
her
när
when
ge
to give
be
to ask for, to request
sänka
to lower
volymen
the volume
oförskämd
rude
Questions & Answers about Hon gav ett oförskämt svar när jag bad henne sänka volymen.
How does the prefix o- work in the word oförskämt, and what does the base word mean?
The prefix o- is used to create an opposite or negative meaning, much like un- or im- in English. The base word here is förskämd, which usually means spoiled or rotten (like old food). When you add o- to make oförskämd, it means unashamed, insolent, or rude.
Why does oförskämt end in a -t here?
It describes the noun svar (answer), which is an ett word (ett svar). Adjectives must agree with the noun they describe, so the basic adjective oförskämd changes to oförskämt to match the neuter noun. Notice that the -d changes to a -t rather than just adding a -t, which is a common spelling rule.
The sentence uses bad for asked. Could I use frågade instead?
No, because they mean different things! You use fråga when you are asking a question to get information. You use be (the base form of bad) when you are requesting someone to do something or asking for a favor. Here, the speaker is making a request, so bad is the right choice.
Why isn't there an att (to) before sänka (turn down)?
After the verb be (to ask or request) followed by an object (henne), the infinitive marker att is optional. You could say bad henne att sänka volymen, but in everyday Swedish, the att is very often dropped in this structure.
Does sänka literally mean turn down?
Sänka literally means to lower or to sink. In Swedish, you do not turn a volume knob down; you lower the volume. The opposite would be höja (to raise).
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