Breakdown of Den essens som hon använder är väldigt subtil.
vara
to be
hon
she
den
the (with en-words)
använda
to use
Questions & Answers about Den essens som hon använder är väldigt subtil.
Why do we use the indefinite essens after Den instead of the definite essensen?
This is the determinative construction you are currently learning. When a noun is defined by a restrictive relative clause starting with som, we use the determinative pronoun Den, Det, or De plus the indefinite form of the noun. If you wrote Den essensen, Den would act as a demonstrative pronoun meaning that essence, rather than the essence that she uses.
Can I skip the word som here, like I can skip 'that' in English?
Yes, you can. Just like in English, you can omit the relative pronoun som when it acts as the object of the relative clause. Because hon is the subject doing the using, som is the object, making Den essens hon använder... perfectly natural.
What clues in the sentence tell me the grammatical gender of essens?
Is the 'b' in subtil silent like it is in the English word 'subtle'?