37 Comments
If I remember correctly, "runt" is "round" (shape) and "omkring" is "around" (an object).
Yes, but i dont think he doesnt mean runt as an adjective. As an adverb, like in the sentence "han svänger runt", i guess for me, "runt" feels like to go around a certain object in circles, as if running around the fire repeatedly, while "omkring" would be when you are just situated around something, having something lie in the centre. Could any native Swede or mod correct me on this?
If this is right, it sounds almost like "omkring" is a position word and "runt" is a destination word (though not sure how true this actually is)
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I couldn't remember eld, so put branden. Duo didn't accept that- as it turns out, I think the difference is that eld is a fire you might want to sit around, while brand is a fire that you would call a brandman for.
I had supposed the same thing but hadn't thought to double check... glad you did! Tack!
So eld is good fire and brand is the evil one. A good way to remember it. Tack.
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Vi sätter oss means the act of sitting down, as in moving from a standing position to a sitting position. You can not translate this into We are sitting around the fire because in that sentence, the people are already seated around the fire in a static position (that would be sitter in Swedish).
I would say a more literal translation would be "We seat ourselves around the fire"
so are those basically transitive/intransitive forms of the same verb or two different verbs?
I get "we sit around the fire" as default translation - so I guess I should report that.
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The only place you as a user can see the default translation is on top of this page. When you input something, the system tries to match your input to the closest accepted answer, so what you'll be shown depends on what you put.
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The verb sätter exists on its own as a non-reflexive verb meaning 'puts'.
But the verb used here is the reflexive version sätter sig. (jag sätter mig, du sätter dig, han sätter sig etc).
Oh wow, I blanked on it when I saw it. It's one of the three 'puts'. Sorry about that!
@Skyprisoner: ställa, lägga, and sätta - depending on how they end up.
Can you tell me what the three puts are and what is the difference between them all?
Thanks you for clarifying, I understand. But DuoLingo now gives me: "we sit around the fire" as the translation. To me that sounds like "we are sitting around the fire", not very much of an action going on either. Confusing this!
I read the discussion but haven't figured out the difference between runt and omkring :(
In many cases there is no differece. For example " jag gick omkring i staden" and "jag gick runt i staden" both mean "I walked around/walked about in town. Rund/runt describe the shape, "en boll är rund, ett runt bord."(a ball is round, a round table)
Both mean "around", but only "runt" can also be an adjective meaning "round".
In many cases (for "around") they mean the same and both can be used, but there are some exceptions. For example, when describing motion and having an object but no preposition, only "runt" is used.
Vi sitter runt/omkring elden (we sit around the fire)
Jag springer runt huset ( I run around the house)
Barnen springer runt/omkring på gården (the children are running around in the yard)
Jag kommer omkring/runt klockan sju (I'll come around/about seven o'clock)
Tornet är runt (the tower is round)
Doesn't sätter mean 'sat'? ie the past tense of 'sitter'? If so, why isn't "We sat around the fire" accepted?
Apologies for the basic question but google translate is being useless!
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The past tense of sitter is satt: vi sitter, vi satt, vi har suttit.
But here we have the reflexive verb sätta sig 'sit down' which is like this: vi sätter oss, vi satte oss, vi har satt oss.
The difference is that sitter is static but sätter sig refers specifically to the act, the "movement" of sitting down. "getting seated" so to speak.
I really think "Sitting around the fire" should be accepted. Obviously you are sitting down if you are sitting around the fire.
Read the comments above. “Sätter” means to put/set/place, so this sentence translates literally as we set ourselves around the fire which contains the meaning of movement into a seated position. The sentence you suggest does not have that meaning but rather portrays people who are already seated.
You could say “we seat ourselves around the fire” instead if that is a clearer translation?
I don't know anyone who says, sitting down round the fire. Wouldn't it be better translated, sitting down around the fire?
Well actually, Americans would say this. "I was sittin' down 'round the fire."
