Breakdown of Under testfasen var batteritiden mer bristfällig än vad de påstod.
vara
to be
de
they
vad
what
påstå
to claim
än
than
mer
more
under
during
testfasen
the testing phase
batteritiden
the battery life
bristfällig
flawed
Questions & Answers about Under testfasen var batteritiden mer bristfällig än vad de påstod.
Could I just say än de påstod instead of än vad de påstod?
Yes, you can! Both are grammatically correct. However, adding vad (literally 'than what they claimed') is extremely common in Swedish comparative clauses. In these cases, vad acts as a placeholder (a pro-form) that refers back to the unstated fact or degree being compared. It often makes the sentence flow better and sound more natural, especially in spoken Swedish.
Why does Swedish use batteritid instead of translating 'battery life' literally?
As an English speaker, it is tempting to guess batteriliv. However, Swedish uses batteritid (literally 'battery time') to describe how long a device can run on a single charge. If you use a word like batterilivslängd, a Swede will usually think you mean the total lifespan of the battery in years before it needs to be replaced entirely.
How is the word bristfällig (flawed) built?
It is built from the noun brist, which means 'lack,' 'shortage,' or 'defect.' The suffix -fällig means 'prone to' or 'having the nature of.' So, something that is bristfällig is literally 'prone to defects,' which translates perfectly to 'flawed,' 'deficient,' or 'inadequate.'
Is påstod (claimed) an irregular verb?
Yes, because it is a compound based on the irregular verb stå (to stand). The infinitive is påstå (to claim or assert, almost like 'standing on' a statement). Just as stå becomes stod in the past tense, påstå becomes påstod.
Why is it var batteritiden instead of batteritiden var?
This is a quick refresher on the V2 (verb-second) rule. Because the sentence starts with the time phrase Under testfasen (taking up the first position), the verb var must take the second position. This pushes the subject batteritiden into the third position.
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