Breakdown of Vad är det som gör provspelningen så svår?
vara
to be
det
it (neuter)
vad
what
göra
to do, to make
svår
difficult
så
so
som
who / which / that (relative pronoun)
provspelningen
the audition
Questions & Answers about Vad är det som gör provspelningen så svår?
Why do we need the word som in this sentence? Can we just drop it?
No, you cannot drop som here. In the cleft construction Vad är det som..., som acts as the relative pronoun replacing the subject of the verb gör (makes). When the question word (vad) is the subject of the action, som is absolutely required in Swedish.
How does the meaning change if I just ask Vad gör provspelningen så svår?
Grammatically, both are correct, but the cleft construction Vad är det som... adds emphasis. It translates to "What is it that makes the audition so difficult?" instead of just "What makes the audition so difficult?". You use this construction when you want to strongly focus on pinpointing the specific cause.
How is the word provspelningen built?
It is a compound noun made from prov (test or trial) and spelningen (the playing or the gig). In the context of music, theater, or film, a "test playing" is the standard Swedish term for an audition.
Why is the adjective svår used here instead of the neuter form svårt?
The adjective must agree with the noun it describes, which is provspelningen. Nouns ending in -ing are almost always en words (common gender). Therefore, the adjective takes the base form svår rather than the neuter form svårt.
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