Bättre

Bättre is the Swedish adjective and adverb meaning better. It is the comparative form of bra (good) and is used to compare two or more things. For example, Det här är bättre än det där means This is better than that. The corresponding superlative is bäst, meaning best.

In grammar, bättre can function both attributively and predicatively. As an adjective, it can modify a noun: en bättre lösning (a better solution). It can also follow a linking verb: Lösningen blev bättre (The solution became better). As an adverb, it can modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs: hon arbetar bättre nu (she works better now). It is common in fixed phrases such as bättre sent än aldrig (better late than never) and Det är bättre att... (It is better to...). In formal Swedish, it is generally unnecessary and often incorrect to say mer bra or mycket bättre in place of bättre.

Etymology and related forms: beter is cognate with Norwegian bedre and Danish bedre. Bättre descends from the Old Swedish and broader Old Norse forms of the same word, reflecting a common Germanic pattern of irregular comparatives for high-frequency adjectives. The word remains central to everyday Swedish, used across spoken and written language to express relative quality.

See also: bra, bäst, jämförelse. Examples from everyday usage illustrate a flexible role for bättre in both comparative statements and modal constructions, reinforcing its status as a core part of Swedish grammar and vocabulary.