Breakdown of Utomjordingarna ska bo på en hemlig bas.
en
a, an (common)
bo
to live
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
hemlig
secret
Questions & Answers about Utomjordingarna ska bo på en hemlig bas.
In this sentence, how do we know ska means 'are said to' rather than 'will'?
This is the epistemic use of ska, which expresses hearsay or a rumor. While ska usually means 'will' or 'are going to' as a future tense, the context of aliens living on a secret base points to an unverified report. This structure is commonly used in news or rumors to mean 'is said to' or 'reportedly'.
Can we break down the word utomjordingarna?
Yes! It is built from utom (outside/beyond), jord (earth), the noun-forming suffix -ing (person or being from), and -arna (the plural definite ending). So it literally translates to 'the beyond-earth-beings'.
Why is the preposition på used for a base, rather than i (in)?
In Swedish, på is typically used for military bases, workplaces, and institutions (like på en skola or på ett kontor). It focuses on the function of the place or its location as a point on a map, whereas i en bas would heavily emphasize being physically enclosed inside the structure itself.
What is the difference between using ska bo and lär bo here?
Both are used for things you haven't verified yourself, but they carry different nuances. ska bo means 'are said to live', indicating that someone else reported or claimed it. lär bo means 'probably live' or 'are likely to live', which expresses an assumption or deduction you are making based on logic or evidence.