This is the 496th most frequent Swedish word.
inflationen
"The inflation."
Here, 'inflationen' means 'the inflation,' referring to the general increase in prices and decrease in purchasing power.
Inflationen ökar snabbt i landet.
The inflation is increasing rapidly in the country.
Here, 'inflationen' specifies the subject of discussion, focusing on its effects.
Ekonomer diskuterar konsekvenserna av inflationen.
Economists are discussing the consequences of the inflation.
In this sentence, 'inflationen' is used in the same definitive sense to denote the economic phenomenon being dealt with.