Breakdown of Maskinen pumpar vattnet genom de underjordiska rören.
vattnet
the water
maskinen
the machine
de
the (plural, before adjective)
genom
through
pumpa
to pump
underjordisk
underground
röret
the pipe (tube, plumbing)
Questions & Answers about Maskinen pumpar vattnet genom de underjordiska rören.
Why do we need both de and the -en ending on rören in de underjordiska rören?
This is Swedish's 'double definite' rule in action. When an adjective (underjordiska) modifies a definite noun, you need both the independent definite article (de for plural) and the definite suffix on the noun itself (-en). English just uses 'the' once, but Swedish marks it twice.
What kind of noun is rör (pipe), and why is the definite plural rören?
Rör is an ett-word that ends in a consonant (ett rör). In Swedish, these words don't change in the indefinite plural (one pipe = ett rör, two pipes = två rör). To make it definite plural ('the pipes'), you add the suffix -en, giving us rören.
Could I use the preposition via instead of genom for 'through' here?
You could, but genom is much more natural for this sentence. Genom emphasizes the physical movement through the three-dimensional space inside the pipes. Via tends to sound more abstract, focusing on a route, waypoint, or method (like traveling 'via Stockholm' or sending something 'via email').
How does the adjective underjordiska break down?
It is a very logical compound: under (under) + jord (earth/ground) + -isk (a common adjective suffix, similar to '-ic' or '-ish' in English). Because it modifies a plural noun here, it takes the plural adjective ending -a, becoming underjordiska.
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