Hej! Adjectives are words that describe nouns (like 'big,' 'small,' 'red,' 'interesting'). In Swedish, adjectives are a little more complex than in English because they change their ending to agree with the noun they describe. This agreement depends on the noun's gender (`en` or `ett`) and whether it is singular or plural.

Understanding Swedish adjective endings is essential for speaking and writing correctly. While there are several forms, the basic rules for the indefinite form (when the noun isn't specific) are a great starting point. This guide will focus on these fundamental rules and show you how adjectives change with en-nouns, ett-nouns, and plural nouns, using examples like en stor bil (a big car) and ett stort hus (a big house).

Mastering adjective agreement requires practice, but it's a key step towards building fluency. Our Online Swedish Courses at Sprachlingua include targeted exercises to help you practice adjective agreement in various contexts.

The Basic Form of the Adjective

Every Swedish adjective has a basic or dictionary form. This is the form you usually find when you look up an adjective. This basic form is used when describing **singular common gender (en) nouns** in the indefinite form.

• Example: The basic form of "big" is stor. You use this with en-nouns: en stor bil (a big car).
• Example: The basic form of "small" is liten. You use this with en-nouns: en liten bok (a small book).
• Example: The basic form of "red" is röd. You use this with en-nouns: en röd tröja (a red sweater).

Agreement with Ett-Nouns (Adding -t)

When an adjective modifies a **singular neuter gender (ett) noun** in the indefinite form, you generally add -t to the basic form of the adjective.

• Example: The basic form is stor. For an ett-noun like `hus`, you add `-t`: ett stort hus (a big house).
• Example: The basic form is liten. For an ett-noun like `äpple`, you add `-t`: ett litet äpple (a small apple). - *Note: 'liten' is slightly irregular here, becoming 'litet'.*
• Example: The basic form is röd. For an ett-noun like `bord`, you add `-t`: ett rödt bord (a red table).
• Example: The basic form is intressant. For an ett-noun like `ämne`, you add `-t`: ett intressant ämne (an interesting subject).

Agreement with Plural Nouns (Adding -a)

When an adjective modifies a **plural noun** (regardless of whether the singular form was en or ett) in the indefinite form, you generally add -a to the basic form of the adjective.

• Example: The basic form is stor. For plural nouns like `bilar` or `hus`, you add `-a`: stora bilar (big cars), stora hus (big houses).
• Example: The basic form is liten. For plural nouns like `böcker` or `äpplen`, you add `-a`: små böcker (small books), små äpplen (small apples). - *Note: 'liten' has an irregular plural form 'små'.*
• Example: The basic form is röd. For plural nouns like `tröjor` or `bord`, you add `-a`: röda tröjor (red sweaters), röda bord (red tables).

Summary: Adjective Agreement in Indefinite Form

Here's a quick recap of the basic rules when the adjective comes before a noun in the indefinite form:

• With **en-nouns (singular)**: Use the **basic form** of the adjective.
• With **ett-nouns (singular)**: Add **-t** to the basic form (with some spelling variations).
• With **plural nouns**: Add **-a** to the basic form (with some irregular exceptions).

Adjectives used after the verb `att vara` (to be) or `att bli` (to become) also follow this agreement pattern based on the subject of the sentence (which corresponds to an en-word, ett-word, or plural).

• Bilen är stor. (The car is big - 'bil' is en-word)
• Huset är stort. (The house is big - 'hus' is ett-word)
• Bilarna är stora. (The cars are big - 'bilar' is plural)
• Husen är stora. (The houses are big - 'husen' is plural)

Adjectives in Definite Form (Adding -a)

When an adjective is used before a **definite noun** (after the definite article `den/det/de`, a possessive pronoun like `min/mitt/mina`, or a demonstrative like `den här/det här`), the adjective *usually* takes the -a ending, regardless of the noun's original gender or number.

• den stora bilen (the big car) - 'bil' is en-word, but it's definite
• det stora huset (the big house) - 'hus' is ett-word, but it's definite
• de stora bilarna (the big cars) - plural, definite
• de stora husen (the big houses) - plural, definite
• min stora bil (my big car) - 'min' makes it definite context
• mitt stora hus (my big house) - 'mitt' makes it definite context
• mina stora bilar (my big cars) - 'mina' makes it definite context

Tips for Mastering Adjective Endings

Consistent practice is key to making these endings automatic:

• Learn Basic + t + a Forms: When you learn a new adjective, try to learn its three forms: basic, -t form, and -a form (e.g., `stor`, `stort`, `stora`). Be aware of spelling changes.
• Combine with Nouns: Practice saying the adjective with different nouns: `en [adjective] + en-noun`, `ett [adjective-t] + ett-noun`, `[adjective-a] + plural noun`.
• Create Lists: Make lists of adjectives and practice conjugating them for en, ett, and plural.
• Describe Things Around You: Look at objects and describe them using adjectives, consciously choosing the correct ending based on the object's gender and number.
• Listen and Read Actively: Pay attention to how adjectives are used in spoken and written Swedish, noting their endings.
• Use Flashcards: Write the three forms on flashcards and quiz yourself.

Don't feel overwhelmed by the exceptions. The majority of adjectives follow these patterns, and the exceptions are often very common words that you'll learn quickly through exposure.

Conclusion: Adding Color to Your Swedish

Swedish adjective agreement is a fundamental aspect of the language that allows you to add detail and description to your sentences. While it requires remembering to change the ending based on the noun's gender (-t for ett-nouns) and number (-a for plurals and often in definite contexts), the rules are consistent for most adjectives.

By focusing on the basic forms and practicing applying the `-t` and `-a` endings with various nouns, you will gradually build the intuition needed to use adjectives correctly. Examples like en stor bil and ett stort hus are excellent models to keep in mind as you practice.

Ready to practice using Swedish adjectives and bring your descriptions to life? Sprachlingua's Online Swedish Language Programs offer interactive lessons and guided practice to help you master adjective agreement and other essential grammar points, boosting your fluency and confidence.

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