Breakdown of Vi erbjöds gratis öl på puben.
vi
we
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
ölet
the beer
gratis
free
Questions & Answers about Vi erbjöds gratis öl på puben.
What is the base form of erbjöds, and how is it formed here?
The base verb is erbjuda (to offer). The -s at the end makes it a passive verb. Because the past tense of erbjuda is the irregular strong form erbjöd, adding the passive -s gives us erbjöds (were offered).
Why isn't there an ending on the adjective gratis?
Gratis is an invariable adjective. This means it never changes form to match the gender or number of the noun it describes, so it looks exactly the same whether it is describing an en-word, an ett-word, or a plural noun.
Is öl an en-word or an ett-word here?
It can be both depending on context! When talking about beer as an uncountable liquid in general, as in this sentence, it is traditionally an ett-word (ett öl). However, when you mean a single serving like a glass or bottle, you use it as an en-word (en öl).
Why do we use på for being at a pub instead of i?
For many public entertainment establishments and social venues, Swedish uses the preposition på rather than i. You will commonly see this with places like på puben (at the pub), på restaurangen (at the restaurant), and på kaféet (at the café).