Breakdown of Det här är cellen där genen finns.
vara
to be
det här
this (ett)
där
where (relative)
finnas
to exist, to be there
cellen
the cell
genen
the gene
Questions & Answers about Det här är cellen där genen finns.
If I wanted to include the current lesson's word nämligen to say "This is namely the cell...", where would it go?
It goes immediately after the first verb in the main clause: Det här är nämligen cellen där genen finns. Sentence adverbs in a main clause generally follow the finite verb. If you instead meant "...where the gene is namely located," it would go in the subordinate clause before the verb, following the BIFF rule: ...där genen nämligen finns.
Why does the sentence start with the neuter det här when cellen is an en-word?
When you introduce or identify a noun using the structure "this is" or "that is," Swedish always uses the neuter pronoun det (or det här / det där) as a "dummy" subject, regardless of the noun's actual gender. You only match the gender if it acts as a direct adjective, like in den här cellen är... (this cell is...).
Why use finns instead of är to mean "is located"?
While är means "is," the s-verb finns (from att finnas) is the most natural and idiomatic way in Swedish to express that something exists or is physically located in a specific place. It essentially translates to "is found."
Could I use som instead of där to link these clauses?
Not on its own. Där specifically means "where" for locations. If you want to use the relative pronoun som (which/that), you must include a preposition at the end of the relative clause: ...som genen finns i (...that the gene is located in).
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