Breakdown of De har en motsatt livsstil, medan vi har samma vanor som chefen.
vi
we
en
a, an (common)
de
they
ha
to have
chefen
the boss
medan
while
som
as (in comparisons)
samma
same
livsstilen
the lifestyle
vanan
the habit
motsatt
opposite (contrary, reverse)
Questions & Answers about De har en motsatt livsstil, medan vi har samma vanor som chefen.
Does medan refer to time or contrast in this sentence?
In this sentence, medan means 'whereas' and shows a contrast. While it can definitely be used to show two things happening at the same time (e.g., reading a book while eating), it is frequently used as a contrastive conjunction to compare two entirely different situations, just like the two lifestyles here.
Does using medan affect the word order in the second half of the sentence?
Yes, because medan is a subordinating conjunction, meaning it starts a subordinate clause. The subject (vi) comes right after it, followed by the verb (har). However, if you added a sentence adverb like inte (not) or alltid (always), it would have to go before the verb due to the subordinate clause word order rules: ...medan vi inte har samma vanor.
Why is it samma vanor (indefinite) instead of samma vanorna (definite)?
In Swedish, the word samma (the same) is a special determiner because it is almost always followed by a noun in its indefinite form. Even though the English translation implies a definite meaning ('the same habits'), you leave the definite suffix off the Swedish noun.
Could I use mittemot instead of motsatt for the word 'opposite' here?
No, they have entirely different uses. Motsatt is an adjective used for abstract or figurative opposites, like a lifestyle, an opinion, or a direction. Mittemot is a preposition used strictly for physical locations, like sitting 'across from' or 'opposite' a building.
Why is som used for 'as' at the end of the sentence instead of än?
You use som when describing things that are equal or identical, which is why it pairs perfectly with words like samma (the same) or lika (as/equally). You use än (than) when there is a difference or inequality, such as saying you have better habits than the boss (bättre vanor än chefen).
Learn De har en motsatt livsstil, medan vi har samma vanor som chefen and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free