Breakdown of Biljetterna kostar mindre på söndagar.
på
on
biljetten
the ticket
söndagen
the Sunday
kosta
to cost
mindre
less
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Questions & Answers about Biljetterna kostar mindre på söndagar.
Why is it biljetterna and not biljetter?
Biljetterna is definite plural (the tickets). It’s used when you and your listener have a specific set in mind (e.g., the museum’s tickets). Biljetter (indefinite plural) would make it sound like a very general claim about tickets as a category.
Could I say Biljetter kostar mindre på söndagar?
Grammatically yes, but it sounds like a sweeping generalization. In real life you’d usually mean a particular place’s tickets, so biljetterna fits better.
What does mindre mean here, and why not färre?
Mindre means less (a smaller amount). It modifies the verb kostar to mean the price is lower. Färre means fewer (for countable items) and doesn’t work with prices.
Can I say är billigare instead of kostar mindre?
Yes. Biljetterna är billigare på söndagar is natural and very common. Kostar mindre focuses on the price; är billigare uses the adjective.
When do I need mindre än?
Use mindre än when you name the comparison: Biljetterna kostar mindre än på vardagar or mindre än igår. If the comparison is understood from context, mindre alone is fine.
Why is it på with days? Could I use i or nothing?
With days of the week, Swedish uses på: på söndagar (on Sundays), på söndag (on Sunday). I is used for past time like i söndags (last Sunday). Leaving the preposition out is unusual; keep på.
What’s the difference between på söndagar, på söndag, på en söndag, and på söndagarna?
- på söndagar = on Sundays (habitually, in general)
- på söndag = on Sunday (the coming/mentioned Sunday)
- på en söndag = on a Sunday (on some Sunday, unspecified)
- på söndagarna = also “on Sundays,” often with a slightly stronger habitual feel; both på söndagar and på söndagarna are used.
Can I move the time phrase to the front?
Yes. Swedish is V2 (verb-second), so: På söndagar kostar biljetterna mindre. The finite verb kostar must stay in second position.
Where does inte go if I negate it?
After the finite verb: Biljetterna kostar inte mindre på söndagar. If fronted: På söndagar kostar biljetterna inte mindre.
Are Swedish days capitalized?
No. Days of the week are lowercase: söndag, måndag, tisdag, etc.
How do I conjugate kosta?
It’s a regular -a verb:
- infinitive: kosta
- present: kostar
- past: kostade
- supine/participle: kostat
What are the noun forms of biljett?
- singular indefinite: biljett
- singular definite: biljetten
- plural indefinite: biljetter
- plural definite: biljetterna
What are the forms of söndag?
- singular indefinite: söndag
- singular definite: söndagen
- plural indefinite: söndagar
- plural definite: söndagarna
Is biljetterna the subject here?
Yes. Biljetterna is the subject, kostar is the verb, mindre is an adverb (comparative), and på söndagar is a time adverbial.
Could I say Söndagar kostar biljetterna mindre without på?
It’s occasionally heard, but på is standard with days. Prefer På söndagar kostar biljetterna mindre.
Is there a more neutral way to avoid repeating “tickets”?
You can shift focus to the price: Priset är lägre på söndagar or Priserna är lägre på söndagar. Or use the adjective: Det är billigare på söndagar.
How do I say “the cheap tickets cost less on Sundays”?
De billiga biljetterna kostar mindre på söndagar. Note the double definiteness with adjectives: de + billiga + biljetterna.