så...att

So...that

Level 4

Use så + adjective/adverb + att + result clause. It relates a degree to a consequence, which can also be wanted, possible or hypothetical in context.

How It Works

The så...att construction is a powerful way to connect a cause with its resulting effect in Swedish. It emphasizes the intensity of a quality or action and the direct consequence that follows.

Basic Structure:
The pattern consists of two parts:
1. A main clause containing så + an adjective or adverb.
2. A subordinate clause introduced by att which describes the result.

Usage with Adjectives:
When used with an adjective, så intensifies a quality of a noun. The adjective must still follow the rules of adjective agreement.

  • Boken var så spännande att jag läste ut den på en dag. (The book was so exciting that I finished it in one day.)

Usage with Adverbs:
When used with an adverb, så intensifies the manner in which an action is performed.

  • Hon sjöng så vackert att alla fick tårar i ögonen. (She sang so beautifully that everyone got tears in their eyes.)

Word Order:
Remember that the clause following att is a subordinate clause. This means it follows the BIFF rule, where the subject comes before the verb, and sentence adverbs (like inte) come before the verb.

  • Väskan var så tung att jag inte kunde bära den. (The bag was so heavy that I could not carry it.) - Note the jag inte kunde order.

Distinction from så att:
Distinguish a degree construction from the conjunction så att, which can introduce a result or a purpose. The following pair contrasts a result with an intended purpose.

  • Result: Det var så kallt att vattnet frös. (It was so cold that the water froze.)
  • Purpose: Jag tog på mig en jacka så att jag inte skulle frysa. (I put on a jacket so that I wouldn't freeze.)

A quantity can also have this pattern: så mycket folk att..., as in the final example. The outer clause need not itself be a main clause: Jag vet att maten är så god att alla vill smaka. Learn the displayed subject-first pattern without treating it as the only sentence arrangement.

Examples (5)

  1. Filmen var så läskig att jag inte kunde sova.

    The movie was so scary that I couldn't sleep.

    Word by Word: The movie was so scary that I not could sleep.

    Here, så intensifies the adjective läskig (scary), and the att-clause explains the direct result.

  2. Han sprang så snabbt att ingen hann med.

    He ran so fast that no one could keep up.

    Word by Word: He ran so fast that no one had time with.

    In this example, så modifies the adverb snabbt (fast), describing the manner of running and its consequence.

  3. Så trött var jag att jag somnade på tåget.

    So tired was I that I fell asleep on the train.

    Word by Word: So tired was I that I fell asleep on the train.

    This shows an inverted word order in the main clause for emphasis (topicalization). The core så...att structure remains the same.

  4. Maten är så god att jag vill äta här varje dag.

    The food is so good that I want to eat here every day.

    Word by Word: The food is so good that I want eat here every day.

  5. Det var så mycket folk att vi bestämde oss för att gå hem.

    There were so many people that we decided to go home.

    Word by Word: It was so much people that we decided us for to go home.

Common Mistakes

  • Choosing a purpose meaning when an actual result is intended.

    Jag pratade tyst så att ingen skulle höra mig.
    Jag pratade så tyst att ingen hörde mig.

    The incorrect sentence uses så att to describe a purpose ('so that no one would hear'). The correct sentence uses så...att to describe a result ('so quietly that no one heard'). Both sentences are grammatically correct, but they mean different things. Choose the one that fits your intended meaning.

  • Placing the subject after the finite verb immediately after att.

    Han var så arg att skrek han på alla.
    Han var så arg att han skrek på alla.

    Use att han skrek, with the subject before the finite verb. Att skrek han incorrectly treats att as an initial main-clause constituent; it is the clause introducer here.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

så...attLevel 4So...that

Learn This First

The 'så...att' construction (meaning 'so...that') functions by placing an adjective or adverb after 'så' to indicate degree, followed by a subordinate clause starting with 'att' to show the result. To use this correctly, you need to understand how to inflect adjectives and how to structure the word order in the resulting subordinate clause.

Words in This Pattern