Question 1

Since the current lesson is about sentence adverbs ending in -ligen, why does this sentence use trolig instead?

Accepted Answer

Trolig (likely or probable) is an adjective, and here it modifies the noun anledning (reason). However, it is the exact root word for the sentence adverb troligen (probably). Because the adjective already ends in -lig, Swedish drops the extra 'lig' and just adds -en to form the adverb.

Question 2

Why is the preposition på used after brist instead of a word for "of"?

Accepted Answer

In Swedish, the noun brist (lack or shortage) almost always pairs with the preposition på. It is a fixed collocation that you should memorize as a set phrase. You will see it in many common expressions, such as brist på tid (lack of time) and brist på pengar (lack of money).

Question 3

What is the difference between anledning and orsak, since both can translate to "reason" or "cause"?

Accepted Answer

Anledning is typically used for a "reason", motive, or justification behind a human action or decision (such as dropping a police investigation due to lack of evidence). Orsak usually refers to a direct, physical "cause" of an event (like a short circuit causing a fire). While they can sometimes overlap, anledning is the most natural fit here.

Question 4

Is bevis singular or plural in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

It functions as an uncountable mass noun here, translating simply to "evidence" in a broad sense. Grammatically, bevis is an ett-word that does not change form in the indefinite plural (ett bevis, flera bevis), so it looks exactly the same whether you mean one piece of proof, multiple proofs, or evidence in general.

En trolig anledning är brist på bevis.

Breakdown of En trolig anledning är brist på bevis.

Questions & Answers about En trolig anledning är brist på bevis.

Learn En trolig anledning är brist på bevis and more in Swedish