Breakdown of Den svarta linjen är smalare än den vita.
vara
to be
svart
black
vit
white
den
the (with en-words)
än
than
smal
narrow
linjen
the line
Questions & Answers about Den svarta linjen är smalare än den vita.
How do we form the comparative word smalare?
The base adjective is smal (narrow or thin). To say "narrower", we add the regular comparative ending -are, making it smalare. Most Swedish adjectives follow this regular pattern.
Why do we use än in this sentence?
In Swedish, än translates to "than" when making comparisons. Whenever you use a comparative adjective like smalare (narrower), you use än to introduce the thing you are comparing it to.
Why is it Den svarta linjen instead of just Svart linjen?
This is a reminder of the Swedish "double definite" rule. When you describe a specific noun with an adjective, you need three parts: the standalone definite article (Den), the adjective with its definite -a ending (svarta), and the noun with its definite suffix attached (linjen).
The English translation says "the white one", but the Swedish sentence just ends with den vita. Where is the word for "one"?
Swedish doesn't use a placeholder word like "one" in these situations. You can just use the article (den) and the definite adjective (vita). Since we already know we are talking about a line (en linje), den vita is perfectly understood as "the white one".
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