Breakdown of Det var faktiskt förvånande att hon dolde sanningen.
vara
to be
hon
she
sanningen
the truth
att
that
Questions & Answers about Det var faktiskt förvånande att hon dolde sanningen.
Why is the verb dolde in the past tense here?
This connects to backshifting. Because the main clause is in the past tense (Det var, meaning it was), the verb in the subordinate clause (att hon dolde, meaning that she hid) also shifts to the past tense to match the timeframe.
What is the infinitive form of the verb dolde?
The infinitive is dölja (to hide). It is an irregular verb where the root vowel changes from ö to o in the past tense (dolde) and the supine form (dolt).
Why does the word förvånande end in -ande?
The suffix -ande creates a present participle, which functions very similarly to an English word ending in "-ing". It turns the verb förvåna (to surprise) into the adjective förvånande (surprising).
Why does the adverb faktiskt come after var instead of before it?
In a Swedish main clause, the verb must be in the second position (the V2 rule). Since the subject Det takes the first position, the verb var takes the second, pushing the sentence adverb faktiskt (actually) right after the verb.