A1 Plurals 4 min read آسان

Definite Plural

Don't say 'de flickor', just add -na to the end of the plural word!
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

In Swedish, the 'the' is attached to the end of the plural noun instead of standing alone.

  • For -or nouns, add -na: 'flickor' (girls) -> 'flickorna' (the girls).
  • For -ar nouns, add -na: 'pojkar' (boys) -> 'pojkarna' (the boys).
  • For -er nouns, add -na: 'böcker' (books) -> 'böckerna' (the books).
Noun + Plural Suffix + na = Definite Plural

مرور کلی

## Overview
In English, we use the word 'the' before a noun to make it definite, like 'the cats'. Swedish handles this differently. Instead of a separate word, Swedish 'glues' the definite article onto the end of the noun.
When the noun is plural, this process is very consistent. You take the plural form of the noun and add the suffix -na. This is a fundamental building block of Swedish grammar.
It makes the language sound rhythmic and compact. You will use this every single day, whether you are talking about your friends, your books, or the cars on the street. Understanding this early will save you from the common mistake of trying to translate 'the' as a separate word like 'den' or 'det' in front of the noun.
## How to Form It
To form the definite plural, follow these steps: 1. Find the plural form of your noun (e.g., 'flicka' -> 'flickor'). 2.
Add the suffix '-na'. If the noun already ends in a vowel, you might just add '-na'. If the noun ends in a consonant, you add '-na'.
For example: 'stol' (chair) -> 'stolar' (chairs) -> 'stolarna' (the chairs). If the word ends in an 'e', like 'pojke' (boy), the 'e' is dropped before adding the plural suffix, resulting in 'pojkarna'. It is a logical system that becomes second nature with practice.
## When to Use It
Use the definite plural whenever you are talking about a specific group of things. If you are ordering food and say 'I want the apples', you are referring to specific apples, so you use 'äpplena'. If you are texting a friend about 'the movies' you saw, you use 'filmerna'.
In professional settings, like a meeting, you would refer to 'projekten' (the projects) or 'mötena' (the meetings). It is essential for clarity in communication.
## Common Mistakes
The biggest mistake is adding 'de' or 'den' before the noun. For example, saying 'de hundar' is incorrect; it must be 'hundarna'. Another mistake is forgetting to drop the 'e' in words like 'pojke' when pluralizing.
Always remember: the article is a suffix, not a prefix. Don't overthink it—if you see a plural noun and you mean 'the', just tack on that '-na'!
## How It's Different From...
It is different from the indefinite plural. 'Hundar' means 'dogs' (in general). 'Hundarna' means 'the dogs' (specific).
In English, we use 'the' for both, but Swedish distinguishes between the general and the specific by using the suffix. It is also different from the singular definite, which uses suffixes like '-en' or '-et'.
## CEFR-Level Explanations
A1: In Swedish, we add '-na' to the end of plural words. If you want to say 'the cats', you say 'katterna'. It is easy! Just remember: no 'the' at the start.
A2: When you talk about specific groups, use the definite plural. If the noun is plural, add '-na'. For example, 'bilarna' (the cars). If you are asking a question, the word order stays the same. Don't use 'de' before the noun.
B1: The definite plural is used for specific reference. Note that some nouns ending in vowels might have slight spelling changes before the suffix. It is important to distinguish between indefinite 'flickor' and definite 'flickorna' to ensure your meaning is clear in conversation.
B2: The morphological integration of the definite article in Swedish is a hallmark of the language. In the plural, the suffix '-na' is almost universal, regardless of the noun's gender in the singular. This simplifies the definite plural system compared to the singular, where one must choose between '-en' and '-et'.
C1: The definite plural suffix '-na' functions as a clitic-like element that provides definiteness. While historically derived from demonstrative pronouns, it has become an obligatory morphological marker. In formal writing, ensure agreement with adjectives, which must also be in the definite form when the noun is definite.
C2: The Swedish definite plural reflects a complex interplay of historical grammaticalization. The suffix '-na' is the standard realization, though dialectal variations exist in archaic or highly localized speech. Mastery requires not just the suffixation, but the correct adjectival declension (e.g., 'de stora husen') which accompanies the definite plural noun.

Meanings

The definite plural indicates specific, previously mentioned, or known groups of items.

1

Specific group

Referring to a specific set of items already known to the listener.

“Bilarna är röda.”

“Barnen sover.”

2

General category

Referring to all members of a class in a specific context.

“Lärarna är snälla.”

“Vännerna hjälper till.”

Definite Plural Formation

Indefinite Singular Indefinite Plural Definite Plural Meaning
flicka flickor flickorna the girls
pojke pojkar pojkarna the boys
bok böcker böckerna the books
stol stolar stolarna the chairs
bil bilar bilarna the cars
dator datorer datorerna the computers

Reference Table

Reference table for Definite Plural
Form Structure Example
Affirmative Noun + na Hundarna springer.
Negative Inte + Noun + na Hundarna springer inte.
Question Verb + Noun + na? Springer hundarna?
Adjective De + Adj + Noun + na De stora hundarna.
Possessive Mina + Noun + na Mina hundar (No -na!)
Demonstrative Dessa + Noun Dessa hundar (No -na!)

طیف رسمیت

رسمی
Pojkarna är närvarande.

Pojkarna är närvarande. (Social gathering)

خنثی
Pojkarna är här.

Pojkarna är här. (Social gathering)

غیر رسمی
Pojkarna är här.

Pojkarna är här. (Social gathering)

عامیانه
Grabbarna är här.

Grabbarna är här. (Social gathering)

The Definite Plural Map

Definite Plural

People

  • flickorna the girls
  • pojkarna the boys

Objects

  • böckerna the books
  • bilarna the cars

General vs Specific

General (Indefinite)
hundar dogs
Specific (Definite)
hundarna the dogs

Do I add -na?

1

Is it plural?

YES
Add -na
NO
Use singular rules

Common Suffixes

✅

Definite Plural

  • • -na
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Examples by Level

1

Hundarna är glada.

The dogs are happy.

2

Var är böckerna?

Where are the books?

3

Jag ser bilarna.

I see the cars.

4

Äpplena är goda.

The apples are good.

1

Pojkarna spelar fotboll.

The boys are playing soccer.

2

Flickorna läser böckerna.

The girls are reading the books.

3

Varför är dörrarna stängda?

Why are the doors closed?

4

Vi gillar stolarna.

We like the chairs.

1

Lärarna diskuterar eleverna.

The teachers are discussing the students.

2

Vännerna träffas på caféet.

The friends are meeting at the cafe.

3

Datorerna fungerar inte.

The computers aren't working.

4

Blommorna i trädgården är fina.

The flowers in the garden are nice.

1

De gamla husen renoveras.

The old houses are being renovated.

2

Alla biljetterna är slutsålda.

All the tickets are sold out.

3

Besluten fattades av cheferna.

The decisions were made by the managers.

4

Resultaten visar en tydlig trend.

The results show a clear trend.

1

Författarna har skrivit böckerna.

The authors have written the books.

2

Reglerna måste följas av deltagarna.

The rules must be followed by the participants.

3

Problemen har lösts av experterna.

The problems have been solved by the experts.

4

Städerna växer snabbt.

The cities are growing rapidly.

1

De historiska dokumenten bevaras.

The historical documents are preserved.

2

Analyserna bekräftar hypoteserna.

The analyses confirm the hypotheses.

3

Förhandlingarna avslutades med avtalen.

The negotiations concluded with the agreements.

4

Utmaningarna kräver nya lösningar.

The challenges require new solutions.

Easily Confused

Definite Plural در مقابل Indefinite Plural

Learners mix up 'hundar' (dogs) and 'hundarna' (the dogs).

Definite Plural در مقابل Possessive + Noun

Learners add -na to nouns with possessives.

Definite Plural در مقابل Demonstrative + Noun

Learners add -na to nouns with demonstratives.

اشتباهات رایج

✗

de hundar

✓

hundarna

Swedish does not use a separate article.
✗

pojkerna

✓

pojkarna

The correct suffix is -na, not -erna.
✗

flickornaa

✓

flickorna

Only one 'a' at the end.
✗

den hundarna

✓

hundarna

Do not mix singular and plural articles.
✗

bilarna är snabb

✓

bilarna är snabba

Adjectives must agree with the plural noun.
✗

mina hundarna

✓

mina hundar

Possessives make the noun definite; don't add -na.
✗

dessa bilarna

✓

dessa bilar

Demonstratives make the noun definite; don't add -na.
✗

böckerna är läst

✓

böckerna är lästa

Participles must agree with the plural noun.
✗

denna flickorna

✓

denna flicka

Demonstrative agreement error.
✗

många hundarna

✓

många hundar

Quantifiers usually take indefinite nouns.
✗

de stora husen

✓

de stora husen

This is correct, but learners often forget the 'de' before the adjective.
✗

alla barnen

✓

alla barn

Quantifier 'alla' can be tricky with definiteness.
✗

några böckerna

✓

några böcker

Indefinite quantifier error.

Sentence Patterns

___ är ___.

Jag ser ___.

Var är ___?

De ___ ___ är ___.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Var är vännerna?

Social Media very common

Här är bilderna från resan.

Job Interview common

Jag har erfarenhet av projekten.

Travel common

Var är biljetterna?

Food Delivery occasional

Är pizzorna klara?

Classroom very common

Läs böckerna.

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💡

Check the ending

If the word ends in a vowel, just add -na. If it ends in a consonant, add -na.
⚠️

No 'the'

Never write 'den' or 'de' before a noun to mean 'the'.
🎯

Adjective agreement

If you use an adjective, remember to add 'de' before it: 'de stora husen'.
💬

Listen to natives

Listen to how native speakers link the suffix to the noun; it sounds like one word.

Smart Tips

Ask yourself: 'Is this a specific group?' If yes, add -na.

Jag ser hundar. → Jag ser hundarna.

Remember to add 'de' before the adjective if the noun is definite.

Stora husen är fina. → De stora husen är fina.

Always drop the 'e' before adding -na.

Pojkena. → Pojkarna.

Don't add -na if you already have a possessive word like 'mina'.

Mina hundarna. → Mina hundar.

تلفظ

/na/

Suffix -na

Pronounced as 'nah'. The 'a' is short.

Statement

Hundarna är glada ↘

Falling intonation for facts.

Question

Är hundarna glada? ↗

Rising intonation for yes/no questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'na' as 'n-a' for 'Now All'—you are talking about all of them now!

Visual Association

Imagine a group of dogs with little 'na' stickers glued to their tails. Every time you see a specific group, you see the 'na' sticker.

Rhyme

When the group is known to see, add 'na' for all to be.

Story

I saw some dogs in the park. They were just 'hundar'. Then I realized they were my neighbor's dogs. Now they are 'hundarna'. I called them over by name.

Word Web

flickornapojkarnaböckernastolarnabilarnadatorerna

چالش

Look around your room. Identify 3 groups of objects and say them in the definite plural (e.g., 'lamporna', 'pennorna').

نکات فرهنگی

The definite plural is used universally in all regions.

Often features 'slang' words like 'grabbarna' for boys.

Known for a melodic tone, but the grammar remains the same.

The definite suffix evolved from the Old Norse demonstrative pronoun 'inn' (masculine) and 'it' (neuter).

Conversation Starters

“

Vilka böcker läser du?

“

Var är barnen?

“

Vad tycker du om bilarna här?

“

Vilka är utmaningarna med projektet?

Journal Prompts

Describe your friends.
What are the books on your desk?
Discuss the problems in your city.
Reflect on the decisions you made this year.
Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Hundar blir ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: hundarna
The suffix is -na.
Choose the correct form. چند گزینه‌ای

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: flickorna
The article is a suffix.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

De bilar är röda.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bilarna är röda.
Remove 'de' and add -na.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

är / böckerna / bra

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Böckerna är bra.
Standard SVO order.
Match the word to its definite plural. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: stolarna, böckerna, datorerna
Correct suffixes.
Conjugate to definite plural. Conjugation Drill

pojke

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: pojkarna
Drop the 'e' and add -na.
Transform to definite plural. Sentence Transformation

Jag ser bilar.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag ser bilarna.
Add -na to the plural noun.
True or False? True False Rule

Is 'de hundar' correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Swedish doesn't use 'de' before nouns.

Score: /8

تمرین‌های عملی

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Hundar blir ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: hundarna
The suffix is -na.
Choose the correct form. چند گزینه‌ای

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: flickorna
The article is a suffix.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

De bilar är röda.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bilarna är röda.
Remove 'de' and add -na.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

är / böckerna / bra

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Böckerna är bra.
Standard SVO order.
Match the word to its definite plural. Match Pairs

Match: stol, bok, dator

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: stolarna, böckerna, datorerna
Correct suffixes.
Conjugate to definite plural. Conjugation Drill

pojke

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: pojkarna
Drop the 'e' and add -na.
Transform to definite plural. Sentence Transformation

Jag ser bilar.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag ser bilarna.
Add -na to the plural noun.
True or False? True False Rule

Is 'de hundar' correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Swedish doesn't use 'de' before nouns.

Score: /8

سوالات متداول (8)

The suffix -na is used for all plural nouns, regardless of gender. -en is for singular nouns.

Yes, if the noun is definite, the adjective must also be in the definite form (e.g., 'de stora husen').

Drop the 'e' before adding -na, like 'pojke' -> 'pojkarna'.

Only if you have an adjective, like 'de stora husen'.

Yes, it is standard across all Swedish-speaking regions.

The suffix -na is added to the irregular plural form, e.g., 'fot' -> 'fötter' -> 'fötterna'.

If you are talking about a specific group, use the definite plural suffix.

It is one of the most consistent rules in Swedish, so it's quite easy once you practice.

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

German low

die Hunde

Swedish attaches the article to the noun.

French low

les chiens

Swedish uses a suffix instead of a preceding word.

Spanish low

los perros

Swedish uses a suffix instead of a preceding word.

Japanese partial

inu-tachi

Swedish suffix is for definiteness, Japanese is for plurality.

Arabic low

al-kilab

Swedish uses a suffix, Arabic uses a prefix.

Chinese low

naxie gou

Swedish uses a morphological suffix.

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Plural Endings (-n, -)
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Irregular Plurals

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