Breakdown of Vilken plats väljer du, framför eller bredvid mig?
du
you
eller
or
mig
me
vilken
which
framför
in front of
bredvid
next to
välja
to choose
platsen
the seat
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Questions & Answers about Vilken plats väljer du, framför eller bredvid mig?
Why is it vilken and not vilket or vilka?
Because plats is an en‑word (en plats). Use:
- vilken
- en‑words (singular): vilk(en) plats
- vilket
- ett‑words (singular): vilket rum
- vilka
- plurals: vilka platser
Why does the verb come before the subject in väljer du?
Swedish has the V2 rule. In a wh‑question starting with vilken, the finite verb comes second: 1) vilk(en) plats, 2) väljer, 3) du …
Can the present tense väljer refer to a future choice?
Yes. Swedish present often covers near‑future: you’re choosing now or imminently. Alternatives: Vilken plats ska du välja?, Vilken plats kommer du att välja?, or more idiomatically in everyday speech: Vilken plats vill du ha? / Var vill du sitta?
What does plats mean here? Would säte or stol be better?
Here plats means “seat/spot” and is the normal word in booking/seat‑choice contexts. Säte is technical (car seat, seat of power), sittplats is “seated place,” and stol is the physical chair.
Do I need the comma before framför?
It’s optional. The comma (or a dash) marks an afterthought listing options: Vilken plats väljer du – framför eller bredvid mig? Without it is also fine.
Why mig and not jag?
After prepositions (framför, bredvid) you must use the object form: mig. Jag is only a subject.
Can I write mej instead of mig?
Yes. Mej is a common informal spelling that matches pronunciation. Mig is the standard spelling. (Similarly: dig/dej, sig/sej.)
What’s the difference between framför and före/innan?
- framför = in front of (space): framför mig, framför huset
- före = before/ahead (order or time): före mig i kön
- innan = before (time, as a conjunction): innan jag går
Is bredvid the only way to say “next to”?
No. Synonyms: vid sidan av, intill. Nära = “near” (less precise).
Do I have to repeat mig after both prepositions?
No. Framför eller bredvid mig is idiomatic; mig is understood with both. You may also say framför mig eller bredvid mig. You can’t strand the prepositions: not framför eller bredvid without an object.
Can I drop plats and just say Vilken väljer du?
Only if the referent is clear from context. Vilken can mean “which one,” but without context you should keep plats.
Can I omit the subject du?
No. Swedish isn’t a pro‑drop language; you must include the subject: … väljer du.
Any pitfalls with similar words like mittemot or framme?
- mittemot = opposite/facing (not just “in front of”): mittemot mig
- framme = “at the front/arrived,” not “in front of.” Use framför for “in front of.”
How do I pronounce the tricky parts?
- vilken: VIL‑ken
- plats: final “ts” is pronounced
- väljer: roughly VELL‑yer (the “lj” is like an “l” + “y”)
- framför: “ö” like the vowel in English “fur” (but rounded)
- bredvid: both BRE‑vid and bre‑VEED occur
- mig: pronounced “mej” even when spelled mig
Why not vilken platsen? How do I handle definiteness/plurals?
After vilken/vilket/vilka, the noun is indefinite: vilken plats. For a known set, use vilken av …: Vilken av platserna väljer du? (Never “vilken platsen”.)
Is Ni ever used instead of du?
Du is standard for one person. Singular Ni exists but is rare and can feel old‑fashioned or overly formal; use it mainly in specific customer‑service contexts.