Question 1

Why do we use helt here instead of väldigt or mycket?

Accepted Answer

Because oätlig (inedible) is a non-gradable adjective. Something is either inedible or it isn't; there are no degrees to it. Therefore, you cannot use a gradable modifier like väldigt (very) or mycket (much). You must use an absolute degree modifier like helt (completely) or totalt (totally).

Question 2

I always mix up verbs for 'think'. Why is tyckte used in this sentence instead of trodde or tänkte?

Accepted Answer

Tycka is used to express a personal opinion or subjective feeling, which fits perfectly here because the audience experienced the food and formed a judgment. You would use tro for a belief without certainty (such as guessing what the food might taste like before trying it) and tänka for the cognitive process of pondering.

Question 3

Does publiken mean 'the public' or 'the audience'?

Accepted Answer

In Swedish, publiken almost always means 'the audience' or 'the crowd' at a specific event, concert, or performance. If you want to talk about 'the public' in a broader societal sense, you should use the word allmänheten.

Question 4

How is the word oätlig constructed?

Accepted Answer

It starts with the root verb äta (to eat). Adding the suffix -lig turns it into an adjective, ätlig (edible), which works just like the English suffix '-able'. Finally, adding the negative prefix o- results in oätlig (inedible).

Publiken tyckte att maten var helt oätlig.

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