Breakdown of Chefen gav ett direkt svar.
ett
a, an (neuter)
svaret
the answer
ge
to give
chefen
the boss
direkt
direct, immediate
Questions & Answers about Chefen gav ett direkt svar.
Why does the adjective direkt end in a -t here?
It ends in a -t because it describes a neuter noun (ett svar). When an adjective comes before an indefinite ett-word in the singular, it must take a -t ending to match.
What is the infinitive form of gav, and is it irregular?
Yes, it is irregular. Gav is the past tense of att ge (to give). The most important forms to memorize are ge or ger (infinitive/present), gav (past), and har gett (present perfect).
How would this sentence change if the boss gave "direct answers" in the plural?
It would become Chefen gav direkta svar. The adjective gets an -a ending in the plural (direkta). However, because svar is an ett-word that ends in a consonant, its plural form is exactly the same as the singular!
I've seen direkt used to mean "immediately". How can I tell which meaning is used here?
You can tell by the word order. Because direkt sits right between the article (ett) and the noun (svar), it functions as an adjective meaning "direct". If it meant "immediately", it would act as an adverb and typically come after the verb or at the end of the sentence, as in Chefen svarade direkt (The boss answered immediately).
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