Breakdown of Skräddaren är varsam när han klipper silket.
vara
to be
han
he
när
when
klippa
to cut (with scissors)
silket
the silk
skräddaren
the tailor
varsam
gentle (careful, delicate)
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.
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