Breakdown of De som sticker ut älskar vi.
vi
we
älska
to love
som
who / which / that (relative pronoun)
de
those (who)
sticka ut
to stand out
Questions & Answers about De som sticker ut älskar vi.
Why is the word order älskar vi instead of vi älskar?
This is the V2 (verb-second) rule in action! The entire clause De som sticker ut is the object of the sentence, and it has been moved to the very front (topicalized) for emphasis. Because that whole clause takes up the first position, the main verb älskar must take the second position, pushing the subject vi to the third position.
Why is it de som and not dem som, since they are the object that we love?
The whole phrase De som sticker ut is indeed the object of the sentence, but inside that little phrase, de acts as the subject for the verb sticker ut. Furthermore, in modern Swedish, de som is the standard and most natural way to say 'those who', regardless of whether the group acts as a subject or an object in the main sentence.
What does the verb sticker mean on its own?
On its own, sticker usually means to prick, sting, or stick (and sometimes 'to leave'). But here it is combined with ut to form a phrasal verb. Just like in English, sticker ut literally means 'sticks out', which describes someone or something being highly noticeable or different from the rest.
Is de pronounced as 'dom' in this phrase?
Yes! Just like when it is used as a standalone subject pronoun, de is almost always pronounced 'dom' in everyday spoken Swedish, so you will hear this as 'dom som'.
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