Word
Den runda kartongen är lättare än linjalen.
Meaning
The round cardboard box is lighter than the ruler.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Den runda kartongen är lättare än linjalen.
vara
to be
den
the (with en-words)
än
than
kartongen
the cardboard box
Questions & Answers about Den runda kartongen är lättare än linjalen.
How do we form the comparative word lättare (lighter) in this sentence?
You take the base adjective lätt (which means light) and add the regular comparative ending -are. It is very similar to adding "-er" to an adjective in English!
Does lättare change if we are comparing plural items or "ett" words instead?
No! One of the best things about comparative adjectives in Swedish is that they do not change to match the noun's gender or number. Whether the noun is an "en" word, an "ett" word, or plural, the comparative form will always just end in -are.
Doesn't the base word lätt also mean "easy"?
Yes, lätt can mean both "light" in weight and "easy" in difficulty. You have to use the context of the sentence to know which one it is. Since we are comparing the physical weight of objects (a cardboard box and a ruler), "lighter" is the meaning used here.
Why does the word for round have an "a" at the end (runda)?
Because we are talking about a specific, definite box. When you use the standalone word for "the" (den), the adjective takes its definite form, which adds an -a to the end. This is part of the classic Swedish double definite pattern: den + runda + kartongen.
Which word in this sentence acts as "than"?