Breakdown of Vi åkte på safari för 10 år sedan.
vi
we
åka
to go, to travel, to leave
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
året
the year
för ... sedan
ago (in 'för ... sedan')
safarin
the safari
Questions & Answers about Vi åkte på safari för 10 år sedan.
Why do we use åkte instead of gick for "went"?
In Swedish, the verb gå specifically implies walking or going by foot. Since going on a safari involves using a vehicle or traveling a long distance, you must use åka (to travel or go by vehicle).
The current lesson is about using på for ages. Why don't we use på 10 år here?
The phrase på 10 år is used as a modifier to tell a noun's age, such as en bil på 10 år (a 10-year-old car). In this sentence, we aren't describing the age of the safari itself. We are saying "10 years ago," which requires the specific time expression för [time] sedan.
Is there a specific rule for using på in på safari?
Yes, på is the standard preposition used before events, activities, or organized experiences. Just like you go på fest (to a party) or på semester (on vacation), you go på safari.
Why isn't there a plural ending on år after the number 10?
The word år is an "ett" word (a neuter noun) that ends in a consonant. In Swedish, these types of nouns look exactly the same in their plural indefinite form as they do in the singular. So, one year is ett år, and ten years is tio år.
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