Breakdown of Skräddaren är varsam när han klipper silket.
vara
to be
han
he
när
when
klippa
to cut (with scissors)
Questions & Answers about Skräddaren är varsam när han klipper silket.
How would varsam change if the sentence was about multiple tailors?
It would become varsamma. Since varsam ends with a short vowel followed by a single m, we must double the m before adding the plural -a ending. This double consonant ensures the preceding vowel stays short.
What happens to varsam if we describe an ett-word instead, like ett barn (a child)?
It becomes varsamt. You simply add a t as usual. The rule about doubling the m to keep the vowel short only applies when you are adding an ending that starts with a vowel, like the plural -a.
Why is cuts translated as klipper here instead of skär?
The verb klippa specifically means cutting with scissors or shears, which is exactly what a tailor uses for silk. You use skära when cutting with a knife, like slicing food or carving wood.
What is the dictionary form of silket?
The base form is ett silke. Because it is an ett-word that already ends in a vowel, you only add a -t to make it definite, rather than the full -et ending used for words ending in a consonant.