Word
Varifrån kommer den här lasten?
Meaning
Where does this cargo come from?
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Varifrån kommer den här lasten?
komma
to come
den här
this (en)
varifrån
from where
lasten
the cargo
Questions & Answers about Varifrån kommer den här lasten?
How does varifrån work here compared to asking "Where... from" in English?
In English, we usually split the question words to say "Where does it come from?". In Swedish, the preposition ifrån attaches directly to the question word var to make varifrån. It stays together as a single adverb at the start of the sentence.
Can I split varifrån and put från at the end of the sentence like in English?
Yes, it is very common in everyday spoken Swedish to say Var kommer den här lasten från? instead. However, varifrån is slightly more formal, preferred in writing, and keeps the question structure very neat.
Why is the verb kommer right after varifrån?
This is the Swedish V2 (verb-second) rule in action. Even though varifrån is made of two elements, it counts as a single unit occupying the first position in the clause. Therefore, the main verb kommer must immediately follow it in the second position.
Why does last have the definite -en ending here?
This is a strict rule when using demonstrative pronouns like den här (this). Unlike in English where we just say "this cargo", Swedish requires the noun to be in its definite form, making it den här lasten.