Breakdown of Å ena sidan berikar upplevelsen livet, å andra sidan är den dyr.
vara
to be
den
it (common)
dyr
expensive
livet
the life
Questions & Answers about Å ena sidan berikar upplevelsen livet, å andra sidan är den dyr.
Why do the verbs berikar and är come right after Å ena sidan and å andra sidan?
This is the classic V2 (verb-second) rule in action! The phrases Å ena sidan and å andra sidan act as the first element in their respective clauses. Because Swedish requires the main verb to take the second position, the verbs (berikar and är) must come immediately after them, pushing the subjects (upplevelsen and den) to the third position.
Why does this expression use Å instead of På for "On"?
Å is an old Swedish preposition that also means "on" or "at." While it is rarely used in modern everyday Swedish, it survives in several fixed expressions like å ena sidan and å andra sidan. You have to memorize it as a set phrase; you cannot swap it out for på.
Why is "life" translated in the definite form as livet?
When talking about abstract concepts or things in a general, universal sense (like "life," "death," or "nature"), Swedish almost always uses the definite form. English drops the article and just says "life," but Swedish requires livet.
What does den refer to in the second clause, and why isn't it det?