Breakdown of Vems hänglås är det där?
vara
to be
det där
that (ett)
vems
whose (question word)
hänglåset
the padlock
Questions & Answers about Vems hänglås är det där?
Why is hänglås in the indefinite form here?
Whenever you use a genitive (possessive) word like vems (whose), the noun that follows it must be in the indefinite form. Just like you would say Annas hänglås (Anna's padlock), you say vems hänglås, never vems hänglåset.
Does the word vems change if the noun is plural or an en-word?
No, vems is invariable. Unlike possessive pronouns such as min, mitt, and mina that change to match the noun, vems stays exactly the same whether it is followed by an en-word, an ett-word, or a plural noun.
Why is "that" translated as det där instead of den där?
The demonstrative pronoun has to agree with the gender of the noun it refers back to. Because hänglås is an ett-word (ett hänglås), you must use the neuter form det där. If you were asking about an en-word like cykel (bicycle), it would be: Vems cykel är den där?
Why does the verb är come right after hänglås?
This is because of the V2 (verb-second) rule. The question word vems and the noun it modifies (hänglås) are glued together to form a single interrogative phrase. This entire phrase occupies the first block of information in the sentence, so the verb är must take the second position.
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