If you skip the "the" in "the strawberries", it just means they like strawberries in general. But if you do include it, it means they like some specific strawberries. And the difference is the same in Swedish.
That is confusing. You mean they like e.g. the strawberries on the table. But how do I tell the difference, I lost so many hearts to this confusing use of "the"....
The ar in kockarna sounds like an e at both speeds. Is this how it is pronounced? Rs seem to 'disappear' in a number of Swedish words... Then again English is my mother tongue so who am I to complain about that. ;-)