Breakdown of Kolan är ju absolut inte lika hård som polkagrisen.
vara
to be
inte
not
hård
hard
ju
as you know / of course
absolut
absolutely
lika
equally / as
som
as (in comparisons)
kolan
the toffee
polkagrisen
the peppermint stick
Questions & Answers about Kolan är ju absolut inte lika hård som polkagrisen.
Why are there three adverbs in a row (ju absolut inte), and does their order matter?
Yes, the order is very strict here! When stacking multiple sentence adverbs in the midfield (the section after the verb in a main clause), Swedish follows a specific hierarchy. First comes the modal adverb (ju, setting the tone), then a degree adverb (absolut, emphasizing the following word), and finally the negation (inte). Saying absolut ju inte would sound completely unnatural.
How does ju change the meaning of this sentence compared to just saying Kolan är absolut inte...?
By adding ju, the speaker signals that this is shared knowledge or an obvious fact that the listener should already agree with. It translates roughly to 'as you know' or 'of course.' Without it, the sentence is just a flat statement of fact; with it, the speaker relies on a shared understanding about the candies.
Is lika ... som the standard way to say 'as ... as' in Swedish?
Exactly. To compare things using a base adjective, you use lika + adjective + som. Here, it is lika hård som (as hard as). A common mistake at this level is mixing this up with än (than), but än is only used with the comparative form of the adjective, as in hårdare än (harder than).
What exactly is a polkagris, and why is its hardness relevant?
A polkagris is a traditional Swedish peppermint candy stick, originally from the town of Gränna, and it is notoriously rock-hard. A kola is a chewy toffee or caramel. The comparison highlights a cultural truth: anyone who has eaten a polkagris knows you can break a tooth on it, whereas a kola is soft and chewy!
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