Breakdown of Vad är det som är quizets näst svåraste fråga?
vara
to be
det
it (neuter)
vad
what
frågan
the question
svår
difficult
som
who / which / that (relative pronoun)
quizet
the quiz
näst
second / next (adverb, e.g., second largest, next to last)
Questions & Answers about Vad är det som är quizets näst svåraste fråga?
How does näst svåraste translate to "second hardest"?
In Swedish, you express "second most" or "second [adjective]-est" by combining the word näst (next) with the superlative form of the adjective. So, näst svåraste literally means "next hardest", which translates perfectly to "second hardest" in English. For ranks beyond second, you would use ordinal numbers, like tredje svåraste (third hardest).
Why use the long phrase Vad är det som är instead of just asking Vad är quizets näst svåraste fråga?
The phrase Vad är det som är (literally "What is it that is") is a cleft sentence used for emphasis. It acts similarly to "What exactly is..." or "Which one is..." in English. While the shorter version is grammatically correct, this longer structure is very common in spoken Swedish when you want to draw focus to the specific thing being identified.
Why is the noun in the indefinite form (fråga) instead of the definite form (frågan) when referring to a specific question?
Whenever a noun is preceded by a genitive or possessive word—in this case, quizets—the noun itself must take the indefinite form. Even though we mean "the" question, Swedish grammar requires the possessive owner to carry the definite meaning, following the pattern: possessive + adjective + indefinite noun.
How does the English loanword quiz work in Swedish grammar?
It is treated as a neuter noun (ett quiz). The definite form is quizet, which is why the genitive (possessive) form here is quizets (the quiz's). Because it is an ett-word ending in a consonant, its indefinite plural form remains identical to the singular (flera quiz).
Learn Vad är det som är quizets näst svåraste fråga 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