Breakdown of Den som kan underhålla vinner tävlingen.
kunna
to be able to, can
vinna
to win
tävlingen
the competition
som
who / which / that (relative pronoun)
Questions & Answers about Den som kan underhålla vinner tävlingen.
Why is it den som here instead of just using vem (who)?
In English, we sometimes say things like 'Who can entertain wins,' but Swedish requires a pronoun for the relative word som to attach to. Because we are talking about an unspecified person, we use den (the one), creating den som (the one who / whoever). You cannot use question words like vem as relative pronouns in this way.
Is the entire phrase den som kan underhålla the subject of the sentence?
Yes! The whole phrase acts as a single noun package. This is why the main verb vinner comes immediately after it. Swedish follows the V2 rule (the verb is the second piece of information), and here, that entire clause counts as the first piece of information.
Can I translate den som as 'whoever' in this context?
Absolutely. Den som translates very naturally to 'whoever' or 'anyone who' in English. 'Whoever can entertain wins the competition' is a perfect translation.
What if I wanted to say 'Those who can entertain win'?
To make it plural, you simply change the singular den to the plural de. The sentence would then be De som kan underhålla vinner tävlingen. Notice that vinner does not change, because Swedish verbs never change forms based on who or how many people are doing the action.