Focus particles
Use pairs of words like 'både...och' (both...and), 'varken...eller' (neither...nor), and 'antingen...eller' (either...or) to link two similar ideas, items, or actions.
How It Works
Correlative focus particles are essential for creating more complex and nuanced sentences. The paired patterns below connect parallel structures; some can extend to more than two coordinated elements. The main pairs in Swedish are:
- både ... och (both ... and)
This pair is used to connect two elements in a positive sense. The elements being connected must be grammatically parallel (e.g., two nouns, two adjectives, two verbs).
Ex: Hon är både smart och rolig. (She is both smart and funny.) - varken ... eller (neither ... nor)
This pair connects two elements in a negative sense. Varken already supplies a negative meaning, so the example needs no inte. The traditional advice against inte varken is not an absolute grammatical ban: current Språkrådet guidance accepts it, though some readers still prefer the traditional form.
Ex: Jag dricker varken kaffe eller te. (I drink neither coffee nor tea.) - antingen ... eller (either ... or)
This pair is used to present a choice between two alternatives.
Ex: Du kan antingen betala med kort eller kontant. (You can either pay by card or with cash.) - såväl ... som (as well as)
This is a more formal alternative to både...och. It's common in written and formal spoken Swedish.
Ex: Vi diskuterade såväl ekonomiska som sociala frågor. (We discussed economic as well as social issues.) - ju ... desto/ju (the ... the)
This structure is used to show a proportional relationship. This is a related paired comparison, not coordination of two equal constituents. The ju-phrase begins a subordinate clause, while the desto-phrase (or another ju-phrase) begins the main clause, which uses the verb-second rule.
Ex: Ju snabbare du springer, desto tröttare blir du. (The faster you run, the more tired you become.)
Parallel means matching syntactic roles, not necessarily identical word classes: Hon är både trött och på dåligt humör coordinates two predicative descriptions. Longer lists are possible, such as både kaffe och te och choklad.
Examples (5)
- Jag gillar både hundar och katter.
I like both dogs and cats.
Word by Word: I like both dogs and cats.
- Han talar varken svenska eller norska.
He speaks neither Swedish nor Norwegian.
Word by Word: He speaks neither Swedish nor Norwegian.
Notice that 'inte' (not) is not used here. 'Varken' carries the negative meaning.
- Vi kan antingen äta nu eller vänta en timme.
We can either eat now or wait an hour.
Word by Word: We can either eat now or wait an hour.
- Projektet kräver såväl tid som pengar.
The project requires time as well as money.
Word by Word: The project requires as well time as money.
'Såväl...som' is a more formal way of saying 'både...och'.
- Ju mer man läser, desto mer lär man sig.
The more one reads, the more one learns.
Word by Word: The more one reads, the more learns one self.
This correlative structure shows a proportional relationship. The main clause 'desto mer lär man sig' follows the V2 rule, with the verb 'lär' in the second position.
Common Mistakes
Mixing the additive and alternative connectors when both items are intended.
Hon är både smart eller rolig.Hon är både smart och rolig.For the intended both-and meaning, pair både with och. Varken...eller without inte remains a useful neutral negative pattern, but inte varken is also accepted by Språkrådet and should not be called an ungrammatical double negative.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn correlative focus (using particles like 'bara', 'även', and 'också' to highlight specific information), you first need to understand how Swedish sentences are structured and how particles generally behave. It is also helpful to understand how Swedish uses word order (topicalization) to create emphasis, as focus particles often work in tandem with these structural shifts.
- Core sentence particles
Understanding how basic particles function within a sentence is necessary before learning how focus particles like 'bara' and 'också' interact with specific correlates.
Foundations - Fronting for emphasis
Correlative focus often involves shifting emphasis to specific parts of the sentence, which builds on the concept of fronting and topicalization for emphasis.
Level 3
Related Patterns
- både...ochBoth...and
Både...och expresses both...and and connects parallel roles in a positive statement. It can also extend to a longer list.
Level 2 - varken...ellerNeither...nor
Varken...eller means neither...nor. It already carries negation, so inte is unnecessary in the basic examples. Current Språkrådet guidance also accepts inte varken, while acknowledging some readers’ traditional objections.
Level 2 - antingen...ellerEither...or
This pair presents a choice between two options, meaning 'either...or'.
Level 2 - ju...destoThe More...the More
A more complex correlative structure used for comparisons, meaning 'the more...the more'. It has specific word order rules.
Level 2 - Verb-second rule
In ju...desto, the entire desto + comparative phrase occupies the first position: desto mer lär man sig. Finite lär comes next; desto alone is not the whole initial constituent.
Level 3 - Word order basics
Understanding basic sentence structure helps in correctly placing correlative pairs and ensuring the elements they connect are grammatically parallel.
Foundations
Words in This Pattern
Practice Focus particles in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Swedish lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
