Pojken tittar på torget där den stora statyn är.
The boy looks at the square where the big statue is.
Breakdown of Pojken tittar på torget där den stora statyn är.
vara
to be
stor
big
titta på
to look at
pojken
the boy
torget
the square
den
the (with en-words)
där
where (relative)
statyn
the statue
Questions & Answers about Pojken tittar på torget där den stora statyn är.
Why do we use där here instead of var for the word 'where'?
In Swedish, var is used when asking a question (like 'Where is the statue?'). However, där is used to mean 'there' or, as in this sentence, as a connecting word to describe a place you just mentioned (torget). When linking a place to a description of what is located there, you will use där.
Could I use som instead of där to connect the clauses?
You could use som (which/that), but you would have to add a preposition at the end of the sentence. You would say torget som den stora statyn är på (the square that the big statue is on). Using där is often a more natural way to express 'where' without needing an extra preposition.
Why is it den stora statyn? Why are there two 'the's?
This is the Swedish 'double definite' rule. When a specific noun has an adjective in front of it, you need the independent article den (the), the adjective with an -a ending (stora), and the definite form of the noun itself (statyn). It literally translates to 'the big the-statue'.
Why do we need the word på after tittar?
The verb tittar simply means 'looks' or 'is looking'. To say someone is looking at something, you must add the preposition på. Without it, the sentence would be grammatically incorrect, much like saying 'The boy looks the square' in English.
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