Breakdown of Vad vass smeden smider klingan!
vass
sharp
vad
how (in exclamations)
smeden
the blacksmith
smida
to forge
Questions & Answers about Vad vass smeden smider klingan!
Does vass describe how the blacksmith forges? Shouldn't it be an adverb ending in -t?
No, it describes the state of the blade (klingan) after the action, not the action of forging itself. The blacksmith isn't forging in a sharp manner. This makes vass an object predicative, not an adverb.
Since klingan is definite (the blade), why doesn't the adjective take the definite form vassa?
Because vass acts as an object predicative here. Object predicatives agree with the object in gender and number, but they always use the indefinite adjective form, even if the noun is definite. Since klingan is a singular en-word, the base form vass is correct.
Why doesn't the verb come right after Vad vass? Doesn't Swedish have a strict verb-second (V2) rule?
This is an exclamation, not a standard statement. In exclamatory sentences starting with Vad (meaning 'How'), Swedish abandons the V2 rule and places the subject (smeden) before the verb (smider).
Why does the sentence use Vad to mean 'How' instead of Hur?
When making an exclamation about an adjective to show surprise or intensity (like 'How sharp!' or 'How beautiful!'), Swedish uses Vad. You generally only use Hur for actual questions asking about a method or degree.