predikativkomplement

A predikativkomplement, or predicative complement, is a grammatical element in certain languages, particularly Scandinavian ones like Swedish, that provides additional information about the subject or object of a sentence. It typically follows a linking verb and describes a state, quality, or identity. Unlike a direct object, which receives the action of a verb, a predikativkomplement renames or characterizes the subject or object.

In Swedish, predikativkomplement can appear with verbs like vara (to be), bli (to become), känna (to feel), or verka (to seem). For example, in the sentence "Hon är glad" (She is happy), "glad" is a predikativkomplement describing the subject "hon". Similarly, in "Han blev läkare" (He became a doctor), "läkare" functions as a predikativkomplement, indicating what he became.

There are two main types: subject complements and object complements. A subject complement agrees in number and gender with the subject. An object complement describes or renames the direct object. Understanding predikativkomplement is crucial for accurate sentence construction and comprehension in languages where they are a prominent feature.