The quantifier most (de flesta)

To talk about "most" of a countable group in Swedish, use the phrase de flesta.

most (countable)
de flesta

The Indefinite Plural Rule

De flesta has a strict grammatical rule: the noun that follows it must be in the indefinite plural form.

For example, to say "most people", use de flesta människor, never de flesta människorna.

Most people shop on the internet today.
De flesta människor shoppar på nätet idag.
Most brands also have physical stores.
De flesta varumärken har också fysiska butiker.

Because de flesta describes majorities, it is perfect for discussing general trends (trender) and habits (vanor).

Most consumers want sustainable consumption.
De flesta konsumenter vill ha hållbar konsumtion.
Most students buy used books on the internet.
De flesta studenter köper begagnade böcker på nätet.

Comparing Quantifiers

Notice how the grammar shifts depending on the quantifier. While de flesta takes the indefinite plural (kunder), a phrase like hälften av (half of) is followed by a definite plural (butikerna).

Most customers prefer the internet, but half of the stores are physical.
De flesta kunder föredrar nätet, men hälften av butikerna är fysiska.
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