"Vi har olika definitioner av vad som är rättvist."
Translation:We have different definitions of what is fair.
20 CommentsThis discussion is locked.
It’s a relativiser. You don’t use it in this English sentence, but it’s a relative clause so it’s literally ”what which is fair”. Think of it as ”that which is fair” but with ”what”.
837
But "vad" is also a relativiser, isn't it? There is a sentence in the course "Ser du vad jag ser?" I don't understand why that sentence does not need "som" while this one needs "som". Is it because the "av" part in this sentence?
- 1639
I think it works this way... if vad introduces a subordinate clause and there is no other subject in that clause it must be followed by som . Same thing with vem and vilken.
Hon undrade vad som var bäst...She wondered what was best.
Hon undrade vad han ville... She wondered what he wanted.
Han frågade vem som ringde...He asked who called.
Han frågade vem hon ringde...He asked whom she called.
- 2078
Does Swedish need "som" in this sentence to express "whatever," as in "vad som helst"? If so, why drop "helst"?
- 2425
I was marked wrong for "We have different definitions of what is right." with a correct suggestion of "We have different definitions of what is just." Not close enough?
Given that is sentence is in the science topic, can 'rättvis' mean fair in the probabilistic sense, like a fair coin or a fair die.
- 1639
I read in an old learn Swedish book that “ if vem, vilken or vad introduce a subordinate clause, and there is no other subject in that clause, they must be followed by som:
Han frågade vem som ringde. He asked who phoned.
Hon undrade vad som var bäst. She wondered what was best.
But
Han frågade vem hom ringde till. He asked whom she phoned.
Hon undrade vad han ville. She wondered what he wanted
The question had already been answered above three years ago.
No, you need the som. I think the construction is similar to in English "that which", or less directly "what it is that is" instead of just what.
I.e. We have different definitions of that which is fair.
Vad & som seems to fairly nicely correspond with that & which respectively.
- 688
I thought that your explanation was excellent and it helped me to understand the construction but when I translated the phrase using "that which is fair" it marked it incorrect !
