Breakdown of Tröstar barnvakten den trotsiga ungen? Ja, det gör han.
han
he
det
it (neuter)
ja
yes
göra
to do, to make
Questions & Answers about Tröstar barnvakten den trotsiga ungen? Ja, det gör han.
Why does the answer say det gör han instead of han är ("he is")?
In English, you can say "he is" to mean "he is comforting." Swedish doesn't use the verb är (is) to echo an action verb. Instead, it uses gör (does) to replace the main verb (tröstar), and det (it/that) to stand in for the rest of the sentence. Literally, it translates to: "Yes, that does he."
Why do we need the -a at the end of trotsiga?
This is the classic Swedish "double definiteness" rule. When you have a standalone definite article (den) and a noun with a definite suffix (ungen), the adjective caught in the middle must take the definite -a ending.
Is ungen just a direct synonym for barnet (the child)?
Mostly, yes, it translates best to "the kid." However, unge is more colloquial and can sometimes carry a cheeky or slightly negative undertone, similar to "brat" or "rascal," which fits perfectly with an adjective like trotsig (defiant). Note that it is also the standard, neutral word for an animal's young (a cub or pup).
Since barnvakt is an en-word, shouldn't the pronoun in the answer be den?