Learn Hardcore Swedish: Jag vill ha det bästa kaffet.

In Swedish, vill means “want (to)” and it’s followed by an infinitive. When you want a thing, you use vill ha (“want to have”) + a noun: Jag vill ha kaffe. If you want to do something, use a different verb: Jag vill dricka kaffe. Saying Jag vill kaffe is ungrammatical.

What does det do in det bästa kaffet? Is it “it”?

Here det is the definite article (“the”) for neuter nouns, not the pronoun “it.” It marks that the noun phrase is definite: “the best coffee.”

Why do we have both det and the -et ending on kaffet?

That’s Swedish “double definiteness.” When an adjective comes before a definite noun, you use:

den/det/de
- adjective in the definite form (-a) + noun with a definite ending.

Examples:

det goda kaffet (the good coffee)
den stora boken (the big book)
de nya skorna (the new shoes)

Why is it det and not den?

Because kaffe is a neuter noun (an ett-word), so its definite determiner is det. Hence: det bästa kaffet. For a common-gender noun (an en-word), you’d use den, e.g., den bästa boken (the best book).

Why is it bästa and not bäst?

bäst is the superlative used predicatively or as an adverb: Kaffet är bäst. (The coffee is the best.)
Before a noun (attributive), you use the definite superlative form ending in -a: det bästa kaffet (the best coffee).

Can I say bäst kaffe or bästa kaffe?

bäst kaffe is incorrect.
bästa kaffe is only used in special set phrases like bästa möjliga kaffe (“the best possible coffee”). Otherwise, use:
- indefinite, non-superlative: gott kaffe (good coffee), bättre kaffe (better coffee)
- definite superlative: det bästa kaffet (the best coffee)

Could I drop ha and say Jag vill det bästa kaffet?

No. With a noun as the object of “want,” Swedish needs vill ha. Use vill + another verb if you want to do something: Jag vill dricka det bästa kaffet. With a clause, you can use vill att: Jag vill att du köper det bästa kaffet.

Why is there no att between vill and ha?

Modal verbs like vill, kan, ska, måste take a bare infinitive (no att) in Swedish: vill ha, kan göra, ska gå, måste läsa. You do use att when it means “that” introducing a clause: Jag vill att du kommer.

How do I make the sentence more polite?

Commonly used polite alternatives:

Jag skulle vilja ha det bästa kaffet.
Kan jag få det bästa kaffet?
Jag tar det bästa kaffet, tack. Note: vill ha isn’t rude, but it’s more direct/informal than the options above.

What if I want to say “the best one” without repeating the noun?

Use the standalone superlative pronoun:

det bästa = the best (one/thing) for neuter
den bästa = the best (one) for common gender
de bästa = the best (ones) for plural Example: Jag vill ha det bästa.

At a café, would I really say this? How do I ask for “a coffee”?

In cafés you’ll typically order with:

En kaffe, tack. (elliptical for en kopp kaffe)
En cappuccino/espresso/latte, tack. Note: In standard grammar kaffe is neuter (ett), but in café speech en kaffe (a coffee) is normal because it implies “a cup of coffee.” In your sentence with an adjective, the noun’s real gender matters, so it’s det bästa kaffet, not den.

How do I say “better coffee” vs. “the best coffee”?

“Better coffee” (comparative, general/indefinite): bättre kaffe
“The best coffee” (superlative, specific/definite): det bästa kaffet

How do I express this in the plural or when talking about different types?

You can say:

de bästa kaffen (colloquial, “the best coffees” = the best types/cups) More idiomatic for varieties:
de bästa kaffesorterna (the best coffee varieties)
de bästa kaffebönorna (the best coffee beans)

Pronunciation tips?

Jag ≈ “yah” (the final g is often very soft or silent)
vill with a short i, double l: “vill”
ha with a long a: “haa”
det is often pronounced “de” before a consonant: det bästa ≈ “de bästa”
bästa: ä like the e in “bed,” a bit longer: “BEH-sta”
kaffet: stress on the first syllable: “KAFF-et” (short a, clear final t)

Could I use another adjective, like “tastiest,” instead of bästa?

Yes. For flavor you might prefer det godaste kaffet (“the tastiest coffee”). det bästa kaffet can imply best overall quality, not just taste. Other options: det finaste kaffet (the finest), det dyraste kaffet (the most expensive), depending on what you mean.