sådant

Sådant is a Swedish demonstrative determiner and pronoun that translates roughly to “such” or “such a thing.” It refers to a kind of thing that has been mentioned or is evident from context. The word functions in two related ways: as a modifier before a noun in neuter singular form, and as a stand-alone pronoun referring to a concept or situation previously discussed.

Forms: The base adjective has several inflections. For en-words you use sådant with neuter nouns? Actually, en-words take such as “en sådan bok.” For neuter singular nouns the form is “ett sådant …” as in “ett sådant hus.” Plural forms use “sådana” regardless of gender, as in “sådana böcker” or “sådana människor.” The neuter pronoun form “sådant” can also stand on its own to mean “such a thing” or “such things,” depending on context. In many cases, “sådant” is used without a noun when the reference is general (Det var sådant jag menade).

Usage: Sådant is used to generalize, to avoid naming specifics, or to discuss categories. It often appears in statements that point to a kind of behavior, situation, or object without repeating the noun. It is common in both spoken and written Swedish, with slightly more formality when used before a noun, e.g., “ett sådant problem” (such a problem).

Examples: Ett sådant hus står på gatan. Det var sådant jag menade. Sådana möjligheter uppstod plötsligt. Sådant beteende är oacceptabelt. See also: sådant, sådan, sådana for the related forms of the same demonstrative family.