Breakdown of Föga visste vi om den där kometen.
vi
we
veta
to know (facts, information)
om
about
den där
that (en)
Questions & Answers about Föga visste vi om den där kometen.
Why does the verb visste come before the subject vi in this sentence?
Because Swedish strictly follows the V2 rule, meaning the verb is usually the second element in a main clause. By moving the restrictive adverb föga to the beginning for dramatic emphasis, it takes up the first position. The verb visste must immediately follow it, pushing the subject vi to the third position.
Could I use lite instead of föga to say 'little did we know'?
Not naturally. Föga is a formal or rhetorical word used specifically to mean 'hardly' or 'to a very small extent.' Using lite (a little) would sound like a literal, measurable amount of knowledge, whereas fronting föga creates that dramatic, slightly poetic 'we had no idea' feeling, just like in English.
If I want to say 'that comet,' why must kometen have the definite -en ending after den där?
This is the Swedish double-determination rule. When you use demonstrative phrases like den där (that) or den här (this), the noun that follows must also be in its definite form. Both the word den and the suffix -en are working together to point to that specific comet.
What would this sentence look like if I didn't want the extra rhetorical emphasis?