Breakdown of Själva hajarna är dubbelt så långa som måttet.
vara
to be
lång
long / tall
så
so
som
as (in comparisons)
själva
the actual / the ... itself
dubbelt
twice
hajen
the shark
måttet
the measurement (size, dimension)
Questions & Answers about Själva hajarna är dubbelt så långa som måttet.
Why is the adjective långa plural inside the dubbelt så ... som structure?
In Swedish equative comparisons, the adjective must still agree with the noun it describes. Because the subject hajarna (the sharks) is plural, the adjective lång becomes långa.
Why does dubbelt end with a -t here?
In this sentence, dubbelt functions as an adverb describing exactly how much longer the sharks are. When an adjective is used as an adverb in Swedish, it usually takes the neuter -t ending.
Could I say två gånger så långa som instead?
Yes, två gånger så långa som is perfectly correct and means the exact same thing. However, using dubbelt så ... som is a very common, natural-sounding set phrase specifically for 'twice as' or 'double'.
How does the word själva work at the start of the sentence?
Here, själva is an emphatic word meaning 'the actual' or 'themselves' (as in 'the sharks themselves'). It ends in -a because it modifies a definite noun. It emphasizes that we are talking about the real sharks rather than a model or a mere estimate.
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