Breakdown of Jag känner gnistorna bränna mig när smeden gör järnet mjukt.
jag
I
göra
to do, to make
mig
me
när
when
mjuk
soft
bränna
to burn (something)
känna
to feel (sensation, emotion)
smeden
the blacksmith
järnet
the iron
gnistan
the spark
Questions & Answers about Jag känner gnistorna bränna mig när smeden gör järnet mjukt.
Why is the adjective mjukt used here instead of mjuk?
Mjukt acts as an object predicative in this sentence—it describes the direct object, järnet (the iron). Because järn is an ett-word, the adjective must agree with it by taking the neuter -t ending.
Since järnet is definite (the iron), shouldn't the adjective take an -a ending, like in det mjuka järnet?
No, and this is a common trap! When an adjective is used exactly like this—after the verb to describe an object (as a predicative)—it only agrees in gender and number. It does not agree in definiteness. That is why it stays mjukt rather than becoming mjuka.
Why is bränna in the infinitive form here instead of the present tense bränner?
This is because of the verb känner (feel). Verbs of perception, such as känna, se (see), and höra (hear), take an object followed by a verb in the infinitive. This is very similar to English, where we say "feel the sparks burn" rather than "feel the sparks burns".
Can I always translate "make something [adjective]" directly to göra något [adjektiv]?
Yes, this is a very reliable structure in Swedish! When you cause someone or something to take on a certain state or quality, göra works exactly like the English "make". Just remember to apply the object predicative rules to the adjective, as seen here with gör järnet mjukt.
Learn Jag känner gnistorna bränna mig när smeden gör järnet mjukt 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