Questions & Answers about Kalla honom inte idiot!
Why is there no en before idiot?
In Swedish, when you assign someone a role, profession, or label using verbs like vara (to be) or kalla (to call), you usually drop the indefinite article (en or ett). This rule applies to jobs, nationalities, and even insults like idiot.
Why does inte come after honom? Could I say Kalla inte honom...?
In a command, inte normally goes right after the verb. However, if the object is a short pronoun like honom, it usually jumps ahead of inte. Saying Kalla inte honom idiot! is grammatically correct but puts a strong, contrasting emphasis on the person: 'Do not call HIM an idiot (call someone else an idiot)!'.
I thought 'to call' was ringa. Why use kalla here?
The verb ringa specifically means to call someone on the phone. When you 'call' someone a name, title, or label, you must use the verb kalla.
Is kalla an infinitive here? It ends in an 'a'.
It looks like an infinitive, but it is actually the imperative (command) form. For Group 1 verbs in Swedish (like kalla or prata), the imperative and the infinitive forms are completely identical. You know it is a command here because it starts the sentence and gives a direct order.
Learn Kalla honom inte idiot and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free