Log inSign up

Byggkvaliteten är viktigare än vad vi trodde från början.

Byggkvaliteten är viktigare än vad vi trodde från början.
The build quality is more important than what we thought from the beginning.
From Lesson 434:Comparisons with pro-forms (än vad)·Swedish

Questions & Answers about Byggkvaliteten är viktigare än vad vi trodde från början.

Why is än vad used here instead of just än?
While you can technically just say än vi trodde, adding the pro-form vad is extremely natural in Swedish when a comparison is followed by a full clause (a subject and a verb, like vi trodde). It acts as a grammatical bridge, similar to 'than what' in English, and is very standard in both spoken and written Swedish.
Would it be correct to say än som vi trodde?
No, you cannot use som here. The word som is a relative pronoun that needs to point back to a specific noun in the main sentence. Because you are comparing against the abstract concept of your previous thoughts rather than a specific noun, you must use the pro-form vad.
Why does Byggkvaliteten take the -en ending? Aren't words ending in '-tet' usually ett-words?
Many loanwords ending in '-tet' are indeed ett-words (like ett universitet), but en kvalitet is a common and tricky exception. Because it is an en-word, its compound form also takes the -en suffix in the definite form to become byggkvaliteten.
Is från början only used to mean a literal starting point?
It translates literally to 'from the beginning', but Swedes use this fixed phrase extensively in everyday situations where an English speaker might prefer adverbs like 'initially', 'at first', or 'originally'.

Learn Byggkvaliteten är viktigare än vad vi trodde från början and more in Swedish

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Swedish →