Breakdown of Är den där tröjan av ull eller bomull?
vara
to be
tröjan
the sweater
eller
or
av
of, by / from (cause)
Questions & Answers about Är den där tröjan av ull eller bomull?
Why do we use just "av" instead of translating the word "made"?
In Swedish, you don't need a verb like "made" when stating what material something is composed of. The preposition av directly expresses "made of" or "consisting of" all by itself.
Why is "tröjan" in the definite form if "den där" already means "that"?
This is a common stumbling block! Demonstrative phrases like den där (that) and den här (this) must always be followed by the definite form of the noun. It literally translates to "that the sweater", which sounds redundant in English but is strictly required in Swedish.
The word for cotton, "bomull", looks like it contains the word for wool. Is that a coincidence?
Not a coincidence at all! Bomull literally translates to "tree wool". The prefix bom comes from an old Germanic word for "tree" (related to the German word Baum).
Is it always just "av [material]" without any articles?
Yes, when talking about uncountable materials or substances like ull or bomull, you drop the article in Swedish, just as you do in English.