Breakdown of Frihet är ju bättre än makt.
vara
to be
än
than
ju
as you know / of course
bättre
better (bra → bättre → bäst)
friheten
the freedom
makten
the power
Questions & Answers about Frihet är ju bättre än makt.
Why do we use frihet and makt instead of the definite forms friheten and makten?
Because this is a general statement about abstract concepts. In Swedish, abstract nouns like frihet (freedom) and makt (power) take the zero article (no extra ending) when talking about them in general terms. Luckily, this matches English perfectly: we say 'Freedom is better' rather than 'The freedom is better'.
What is the purpose of the little word ju here?
The word ju is a common particle used when you expect the listener to agree with you, or when stating an obvious fact. It translates roughly to 'surely', 'of course', or 'as we all know'. It softens the sentence so it sounds like a shared understanding rather than a forceful opinion.
Does the comparative adjective bättre need to change depending on whether the noun is an en-word or an ett-word?
No, it does not. bättre is the comparative form of bra (good). In Swedish, comparative adjectives never change their endings to match the gender or number of the noun. They stay exactly the same for en-words, ett-words, and plurals.
If I started this sentence with a time phrase like nuförtiden (nowadays), where would ju go?
Because of the V2 rule, the verb är must remain the second idea in the sentence. The sentence would become: Nuförtiden är frihet ju bättre än makt. The subject frihet and the sentence adverb ju simply move to the other side of the verb to make room for the time phrase.
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