Describing Nouns
stor become stort or stora?This chapter teaches why the adjective stor appears as stor, stort, and stora.
Swedish adjectives often agree with the noun. Ask two questions:
- Is the noun an
ennoun or anettnoun? - Is the noun plural or definite?
The Three Main Positive Forms
| Situation | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| common singular indefinite | base form | en stor bil |
| neuter singular indefinite | often + -t | ett stort hus |
| plural or definite | often + -a | stora bilar, den stora bilen |
Neuter Forms
Many adjectives add -t with ett nouns:
storstortfinfintsvensksvensktSome spelling adjustments are common:
sannsantnynyttöppenöppetvackervackerttrötttröttvitvittSome must be stored:
rödröttgodgottgladglattlitenliteträddräddDouble Definiteness: den stora bilen
When a definite noun has an adjective before it, standard Swedish normally marks definiteness twice:
den + stora + bilen
det + stora + huset
de + stora + bilarnaThe first word marks gender or number, the adjective takes its definite -a form, and the noun keeps its definite ending.
This is called double definiteness. Do not copy English and leave the noun indefinite:
With no adjective, the noun ending is normally enough: bilen means "the car." The phrase den bilen has a pointing contrast closer to "that car."
Agreement After är: The Predicative Position
The adjective also agrees when it stands after verbs like är or blir, not only in front of the noun:
The same two questions apply: gender first, then number. Note that after är, a definite subject still takes the plain -t/base/-a agreement, not an extra definite marking.
Plural And Definite Forms
Many adjectives use an -a form for both plural and definite:
storstorafinfinasvensksvenskaSome adjust the stem:
enkelenklavackervackraöppenöppnaensamensammagammalgamlaAnd some are stored or irregular:
annanandralitensmå / lilla / lillebrabrarosarosaThe Optional Masculine -e
In formal or written Swedish, adjectives can sometimes take -e with a male person or masculine reference:
den gamle mannen
den store kungen
min käre farThis is not the default definite form. The default learner form is still:
den gamla kvinnan
det gamla huset
de gamla männenLearn masculine -e as an optional style/register form.
Chapter summary
| Noun context | Adjective form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| common singular indefinite | base | en stor bil |
| neuter singular indefinite | often -t | ett stort hus |
| plural | often -a | stora bilar |
after är/blir (predicative) | same gender/number agreement | Huset är stort. |
| definite with adjective | den/det/de + -a + definite noun | den stora bilen |
| male person, marked style | optional -e | den gamle mannen |
Study check
- 1
en ___ bil(stor) - 2
ett ___ hus(stor) - 3
___ bilar(stor) - 4
den ___ bilen(stor) - 5
ett ___ äpple(röd) - 6
de ___ husen(gammal) - 7
Build "the open door" from
öppen+dörr.