Breakdown of Vilket svar vill du helst ha, det bästa eller det sämsta?
du
you
ha
to have
vilja
to want
eller
or
bra
good
helst
preferably
dålig
bad
vilken
which
svaret
the answer
det
the
det
the
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Questions & Answers about Vilket svar vill du helst ha, det bästa eller det sämsta?
Why is it vilket and not vilken?
Because svar is a neuter (ett-) noun. The question word agrees with the noun:
- vilken for en-words (e.g., vilken bok)
- vilket for ett-words (e.g., vilket hus, vilket svar)
- vilka for plurals (e.g., vilka böcker)
What gender is svar, and what are its forms?
Svar is an ett-word.
- Singular indefinite: ett svar
- Singular definite: svaret
- Plural indefinite: svar
- Plural definite: svaren
Note that the indefinite plural is identical to the singular base form.
Why do we need both vill and ha? Can’t I just say vilket svar vill du helst?
In Swedish, when you want a thing, you use vilja ha: “want to have.” So you say vill ha kaffe, vill ha ett svar. Using vill alone works when it’s followed by a verb: vill gå, vill läsa. Therefore, you need ha here: Vilket svar vill du helst ha …
Can I use få instead of ha?
Yes: Vilket svar vill du helst få? Slight nuance:
- vill ha = want to have/possess (focus on desire for the thing)
- vill få = want to receive (focus on the act of getting it) Both are natural in this context.
Where does helst go? Could I say vilket svar vill du ha helst?
The most neutral placement is after the finite verb and subject, before the infinitive: vill du helst ha. Other placements exist but are less common or used for emphasis:
- Standard: Vilket svar vill du helst ha …
- Also heard (more informal/afterthought): Vilket svar vill du ha helst …
- Emphatic fronting: Helst vill jag ha …
How do gärna, hellre, and helst relate?
They’re the positive/comparative/superlative of willingness/preference:
- gärna = gladly/willingly (I’m happy to)
- hellre = rather (I’d prefer)
- helst = most of all/preferably (what I’d prefer the most)
Example: Jag tar gärna kaffe, men jag tar hellre te. Helst tar jag vatten.
Why is it det bästa and not den bästa?
Because it refers back to svar, which is an ett-word. When you turn a superlative adjective into a noun phrase (“the best one”), you use the matching article:
- en-word: den bästa
- ett-word: det bästa
- plural/general: de bästa
Why bästa/sämsta and not bäst/sämst?
Attributive superlatives (used in front of or in place of a noun with an article) take the -a ending: den/det/de bästa/sämsta. The short forms bäst/sämst are used predicatively:
- Attributive: det bästa svaret
- Predicative: Svaret är bäst/sämst.
Do I have to repeat det in det bästa eller det sämsta?
Yes, you normally repeat the determiner before each coordinated noun phrase: det bästa eller det sämsta. Saying det bästa eller sämsta is unidiomatic.
Could I say det bästa svaret instead of just det bästa?
Absolutely. Both are fine:
- det bästa = “the best one” (noun understood from context)
- det bästa svaret = “the best answer” (explicit) You can also omit the repeated noun after the second option by ellipsis: det bästa svaret eller det sämsta (svaret).
Is the comma before the options required? Could I use a colon?
The comma is optional for readability. A colon is also very natural to introduce the alternatives:
- Vilket svar vill du helst ha: det bästa eller det sämsta? You could also omit extra punctuation entirely in informal writing.
Why is the order vill du and not du vill after the question phrase?
Swedish main clauses are V2 (verb-second). In a content question, the question phrase (Vilket svar) occupies the first position, so the finite verb (vill) must come second: Vilket svar [1] vill [2] du [3] …
Could I use värsta instead of sämsta?
Sometimes, but there’s a nuance:
- bäst/sämst = best/worst in quality ranking (symmetrical pair)
- värst = worst in the sense of most severe/most terrible For rating answers, bäst/sämst is the natural pair: det bästa eller det sämsta. Det värsta can sound stronger or less symmetrical here.
How would I make the question more polite or tentative?
Use the conditional with skulle … vilja:
- Vilket svar skulle du helst vilja ha, det bästa eller det sämsta? This softens the request, much like “would you like” in English.
Should there be att before ha?
No. Modal-like verbs such as vill, kan, ska, måste, bör take a bare infinitive without att: vill ha, kan göra, ska komma.
Can I use vad instead of vilket here?
You can, but it’s less specific. Vad vill du helst ha? asks generally “what would you prefer to have?” Using vilket svar ties the question to the noun svar (“which answer”) and fits better when you’re choosing among answers.
How would this look in the past?
Just put vill in the past: Vilket svar ville du helst ha, det bästa eller det sämsta? You can also use perfect if needed: Vilket svar har du helst velat ha … (less common).
Any quick pronunciation tips for key words?
- vilket: the k is “soft” before e, a hissy fronted sound (like a tight “sh”); stress on the first syllable.
- svar: long a (like in “father”), clear r at the end.
- helst: short e (like in “bed”), cluster -lst pronounced together.
- bästa / sämsta: ä like “bed,” short; both stress on the first syllable.
Are there other natural ways to ask this preference?
Yes:
- Vilket svar föredrar du, det bästa eller det sämsta? (use föredrar = “prefer”)
- Vilket svar tycker du bäst om, det bästa eller det sämsta? (more like “which do you like best”)