Det är sant.

In Det är sant, det means it.

This is a very common Swedish pattern, just like English It is true. The det does not always refer to a specific thing you can point to. It can be a kind of dummy subject or general it.

So:

• Det är sant = It is true / That is true

Depending on context, English may translate it as either it or that.

Swedish main clauses usually follow the V2 rule, which means the finite verb comes in the second position.

In Det är sant:

1. Det = first element
2. är = finite verb in second position
3. sant = rest of the sentence

This is very normal Swedish word order.

Är is the present tense of vara, which means to be.

So:

• vara = to be
• är = is / am / are

In this sentence, it means is:

• Det är sant = It is true

Sant is the neuter singular form of the adjective sann (true).

Swedish adjectives change form depending on the noun or pronoun they describe.

Here, det is treated as neuter, so the adjective takes -t:

• en sann historia = a true story
• ett sant påstående = a true statement
• Det är sant = It is true

So sant is used because det goes with the neuter form.

It is best understood as an adjective here.

In Det är sant, the adjective sant describes the subject det through the verb är. This is similar to English:

• It is true

So sant is a predicate adjective.

No, not in standard Swedish.

You need sant, not sann, because det requires the neuter adjective form.

Compare:

• Den är sann = It is true (common gender)
• Det är sant = It is true (neuter)

So with det, the correct form is sant.

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

• det ≈ deh
• är ≈ like air, but shorter and more Swedish
• sant ≈ sahnt

A rough full approximation:

• deh air sahnt

A few notes:

• The t in det is often weak or barely heard in natural speech.
• är is often pronounced quite lightly in fast speech.
• a in sant is a broad Swedish a, not the English æ sound of cat.

Yes.

Even though the Swedish sentence literally uses det (it), in natural English the best translation depends on context:

• Det är sant. = It’s true.
• Det är sant. = That’s true.

If someone has just said something and you are confirming it, English often prefers That’s true, while Swedish can still simply say Det är sant.

Not as a normal complete sentence.

Swedish usually needs the subject, so the standard full sentence is:

• Det är sant.

In informal spoken language, people may shorten things in conversation, but for correct standard Swedish, keep det.

Yes, very common.

It is a natural, everyday way to say:

• It’s true
• That’s true

You may also hear similar expressions such as:

• Det stämmer. = That’s correct / That’s right
• Det är riktigt. = That is correct / true
• Det är verkligen sant. = That is really true

They are similar, but not identical.

• Det är sant = It is true
• Det stämmer = That is correct / That matches / That’s right

Det är sant focuses more on truth. Det stämmer often means something is correct, accurate, or matches the facts.

In many everyday situations, both can work.

Swedish often uses det where English might choose either it or that.

So even if the natural English translation is That’s true, Swedish may still say:

• Det är sant

This is very normal. Do not expect Swedish to match English word-for-word.

Yes. You make it negative by adding inte:

• Det är inte sant. = It is not true / That’s not true

Notice the word order:

• Det = subject
• är = verb
• inte = not
• sant = adjective

This placement is very typical in Swedish main clauses.