B1 Verb Forms 7 min read صعب

Past Participle

Think of it as a verb acting like an adjective to describe something that has already happened.
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Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

The past participle turns verbs into adjectives to describe a state or create passive sentences using 'vara' or 'bli'.

  • Group 1 verbs end in -ad (en), -at (ett), or -ade (plural): 'en målad dörr'.
  • Group 4 (strong) verbs end in -en (en), -et (ett), or -na (plural): 'ett skrivet brev'.
  • The participle must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes, just like an adjective.
Verb Stem + [ad/d/t/en] = 🎨 Adjective/State

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## Overview: The Verb that Became an Adjective
In Swedish, the perfekt particip is a fascinating hybrid. While it originates from a verb, it behaves almost entirely like an adjective. This is a crucial distinction for B1 learners because, unlike the supinum (the form used with *ha* to create the perfect tense), the past participle changes its ending based on the noun it refers to.
If you are describing a 'common' gender noun (en-word), a 'neuter' gender noun (ett-word), or a plural noun, the participle must transform to match.
Why does this matter? Because Swedish uses this form constantly to describe the world around us. When you say a door is 'closed' (*stängd*), a letter is 'written' (*skrivet*), or the windows are 'washed' (*tvättade*), you are using the past participle.
It bridges the gap between an action (to wash) and a description (washed). Mastering this allows you to move beyond simple Subject-Verb-Object sentences and start describing complex states and results, which is a hallmark of intermediate fluency. It is also the foundation for the passive voice, allowing you to say 'the cake was eaten' rather than just 'someone ate the cake.'
## How to Form It: The Four Groups
Forming the past participle depends on which conjugation group the verb belongs to.
Group 1 (-ar verbs): These are the easiest. The endings are -ad (en-words), -at (ett-words), and -ade (plural/definite).
Example: *måla* (to paint) -> *en målad vägg*, *ett målat hus*, *målade väggar*.
Group 2 (-er verbs): These split into two sub-groups.
2a (voiced consonants): Endings are -d, -t, -da.
Example: *stänga* (to close) -> *stängd*, *stängt*, *stängda*.
2b (voiceless consonants like k, p, s, t): Endings are -t, -t, -ta.
Example: *köpa* (to buy) -> *köpt*, *köpt*, *köpta*.
Group 3 (short verbs): These end in -dd, -tt, -dda.
Example: *sy* (to sew) -> *sydd*, *sytt*, *sydda*.
Group 4 (strong verbs): These are the trickiest as they often change vowels. The endings are -en, -et, -na.
Example: *skriva* (to write) -> *skriven*, *skrivet*, *skrivna*.
Note how the vowel remains the same as the past tense or supinum, but the ending is unique to the participle.
## When to Use It: Real-World Scenarios
You will encounter the past participle in almost every aspect of Swedish life.
1. Shopping and Services: When looking at products, you'll see labels like *nedsatt pris* (reduced price) or *ekologiskt odlad* (organically grown). If you're at a restaurant, the menu might list *stekt lax* (fried salmon) or *kokt potatis* (boiled potatoes).
2. Professional Contexts: In office settings or job interviews, you'll use it to describe completed tasks. 'Rapporten är *skriven*' (The report is written) or 'Projektet är *avslutat*' (The project is finished). It sounds professional and focuses on results.
3. News and Media: The passive voice with *bli* is the standard for reporting events where the actor is unknown or less important. 'En man blev *rånad*' (A man was robbed) or 'Vägen blev *avstängd*' (The road was closed).
4. Social Media and Texting: You'll use it to describe your own state. 'Jag är *stressad*' (I am stressed) or 'Är du *förberedd*?' (Are you prepared?).
## Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most frequent error for English speakers is confusing the supinum with the perfekt particip.
In English, we use 'written' for both 'I have written' and 'The book is written.' In Swedish, these are different:
  • *Jag har skrivit* (Supinum - never changes).
  • *Boken är skriven* (Participle - changes with the noun).
Another mistake is forgetting the plural -e or -a ending. Learners often say *De är målad* instead of the correct *De är målade*.
Finally, watch out for Group 2b verbs. Because the 'en' and 'ett' forms both end in -t (*köpt* / *köpt*), learners often forget that the plural still needs an ending: *köpta*.
## How It's Different From the Supinum
This is the 'Great Divide' in Swedish grammar.
The Supinum (-it, -at): This form is 'frozen.' It never changes, regardless of the subject. It is used *only* after the auxiliary verb *ha* (to have) to form the perfect and pluperfect tenses.
Example: *Hon har stängt dörren.* (She has closed the door).
The Past Participle (-d, -t, -en, etc.): This form is 'fluid.' It acts like an adjective and must agree with the noun it describes. It is used after *vara* (to be), *bli* (to become), or directly before a noun.
Example: *Dörren är stängd.* (The door is closed).
Think of the supinum as part of a verb chain, while the participle is a description of a noun.
## CEFR-Level Explanations
A1: At this level, you only need to know a few common past participles that act like simple adjectives. Words like 'stängd' (closed), 'öppen' (open - though this is a pure adjective, it behaves similarly), and 'klar' (finished). You don't need to worry about the complex grammar rules yet.
Just learn them as vocabulary words to describe things around you, like 'dörren är stängd' or 'jag är klar'. Focus on the most common ones you see in daily life.
A2: Now you start to see that these words come from verbs. You will learn that 'målad' comes from 'måla'. You should begin to notice that the ending changes slightly.
For example, 'en målad bil' but 'ett målat hus'. You will also use them with 'vara' to describe how things are right now. It's important to start separating these from the 'har' forms you use to talk about the past.
Just remember: 'har' uses one form, 'är' uses the adjective-like form.
B1: This is where you master the system. You need to know the four verb groups and how each one forms its participle. You must consistently apply gender and number agreement (en/ett/plural).
You will also start using the passive voice with 'bli' to describe things happening, like 'huset blev byggt 1990'. You should understand the difference between a state ('fönstret är krossat') and an action ('fönstret blev krossat'). This level requires precision in your endings.
B2: At the B2 level, you should use past participles to make your language more sophisticated. This includes using them as 'adverbial participles' or in complex passive constructions. You should be comfortable with irregular strong verbs and their specific participle forms (e.g., 'skuren', 'fångad', 'försvunnen').
You can distinguish between formal and informal registers by choosing between the 's-passive' and the 'bli-passive', understanding that the participle form often feels more descriptive and focused on the result.
C1: Advanced learners use the past participle to create dense, information-rich sentences common in academic and professional Swedish. You will use participles in 'absolute constructions' and as complex modifiers before nouns (e.g., 'den av regeringen nyligen framlagda propositionen'). You understand the subtle nuances of meaning provided by different participle choices and can use them to shift focus and tone in your writing.
You also recognize archaic or literary participle forms found in older texts or legal language.
C2: At near-native mastery, you use the past participle with total idiomatic accuracy. You are aware of dialectal variations in participle endings and can use them stylistically. You understand the historical evolution of these forms from Old Norse and how they relate to other Germanic languages.
Your usage includes highly specific technical participles and the ability to use the form to convey subtle irony, emphasis, or poetic imagery. You can navigate the most complex syntactic structures involving participles without hesitation.

Meanings

The past participle (perfekt particip) is a non-finite verb form used primarily as an adjective to describe a state resulting from a completed action, or to form the passive voice with the auxiliary verbs 'vara' (to be) or 'bli' (to become).

1

Attributive Adjective

Used directly before a noun to describe its state.

“En stängd dörr”

“De köpta bilarna”

2

Predicative Adjective

Used after a linking verb like 'vara' or 'verka' to describe the subject.

“Boken är skriven på svenska.”

“Maten verkar lagad.”

3

Passive Voice with 'bli'

Used with 'bli' to emphasize the action or process of something happening.

“Huset blev målat förra året.”

“Tjuven blev fångad av polisen.”

4

Passive Voice with 'vara'

Used with 'vara' to emphasize the resulting state of an action.

“Affären är stängd nu.”

“Brevet är redan skickat.”

Past Participle Formation by Verb Group

Verb Group En-word (Singular) Ett-word (Singular) Plural / Definite
Group 1 (måla) målad målat målade
Group 2a (stänga) stängd stängt stängda
Group 2b (köpa) köpt köpt köpta
Group 3 (sy) sydd sytt sydda
Group 4 (skriva) skriven skrivet skrivna
Group 4 (dricka) drucken drucket druckna

Reference Table

Reference table for Past Participle
Form Structure Example
Affirmative (State) Subject + är + Participle Dörren är låst. (The door is locked.)
Affirmative (Action) Subject + blev + Participle Dörren blev låst. (The door was locked.)
Negative Subject + är + inte + Participle Bilen är inte tvättad. (The car is not washed.)
Question Är + Subject + Participle? Är maten lagad? (Is the food cooked?)
Attributive Participle + Noun En stekt fisk. (A fried fish.)
Plural Subject (Plural) + är + Participle (-e/-a/-na) Böckerna är lästa. (The books are read.)
Ett-word Subject (Ett) + är + Participle (-t/-et) Huset är målat. (The house is painted.)

طيف الرسمية

رسمي
Porten är tillsluten.

Porten är tillsluten. (General)

محايد
Dörren är stängd.

Dörren är stängd. (General)

غير رسمي
Dörren är stängd.

Dörren är stängd. (General)

عامية
Dörren e stängd.

Dörren e stängd. (General)

The Roles of the Past Participle

Past Participle

As Adjective

  • En stängd dörr A closed door
  • Ett målat hus A painted house

With 'Vara' (State)

  • Boken är skriven The book is written

With 'Bli' (Action)

  • Han blev rånad He was robbed

Supinum vs. Past Participle

Supinum (Verb)
har skrivit has written
har målat has painted
Participle (Adjective)
är skriven is written
är målad is painted

Choosing the Right Ending

1

Is it an en-word?

YES
Use -ad, -d, or -en
NO
Go to next step
2

Is it an ett-word?

YES
Use -at, -t, or -et
NO
Go to next step
3

Is it plural?

YES
Use -ade, -da, or -na
NO
Check verb group

Common Participles by Context

🍲

Food

  • • stekt
  • • kokt
  • • grillad
  • • bakad
😊

Emotions

  • • överraskad
  • • intresserad
  • • trött
  • • förvirrad
✅

Status

  • • klar
  • • stängd
  • • låst
  • • skickad
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Examples by Level

1

Dörren är stängd.

The door is closed.

2

Är du klar?

Are you finished?

3

Bilen är röd och lagad.

The car is red and repaired.

4

Maten är färdig.

The food is ready.

1

Huset är målat vitt.

The house is painted white.

2

Brevet är skickat.

The letter is sent.

3

Vi är trötta.

We are tired.

4

Är fönstret stängt?

Is the window closed?

1

Boken är skriven av en känd författare.

The book is written by a famous author.

2

De stulna cyklarna hittades igår.

The stolen bicycles were found yesterday.

3

Maten blev serverad klockan åtta.

The food was served at eight o'clock.

4

Jag känner mig väldigt motiverad.

I feel very motivated.

1

Trots de vidtagna åtgärderna fortsatte problemet.

Despite the measures taken, the problem continued.

2

Han blev djupt rörd av talet.

He was deeply moved by the speech.

3

Ett väl genomfört arbete ger resultat.

A well-executed job gives results.

4

De försvunna dokumenten dök plötsligt upp.

The missing documents suddenly appeared.

1

Den av nämnden fastställda planen ska följas.

The plan established by the committee must be followed.

2

Frågan förblir obesvarad trots upprepade försök.

The question remains unanswered despite repeated attempts.

3

Med darrande händer och sänkt blick lämnade han rummet.

With trembling hands and a lowered gaze, he left the room.

4

Det rör sig om en sedan länge bortglömd tradition.

It concerns a long-forgotten tradition.

1

Detta är en i grunden missförstådd problematik.

This is a fundamentally misunderstood set of problems.

2

De i målet åberopade omständigheterna var avgörande.

The circumstances cited in the case were decisive.

3

Hennes agerande kan ses som en väl avvägd provokation.

Her actions can be seen as a well-balanced provocation.

4

Konstverket framstår som en förkroppsligad vision.

The artwork appears as an embodied vision.

Easily Confused

Past Participle مقابل Supinum vs. Perfekt Particip

Learners use the -it ending for adjectives because English uses one form for both.

Past Participle مقابل Bli-passive vs. Vara-passive

Mixing up the action (bli) with the result (vara).

Past Participle مقابل Group 2a vs. 2b Endings

Using -d instead of -t for verbs with voiceless consonants.

أخطاء شائعة

✗

Jag är skrivit.

✓

Jag har skrivit.

Confusing 'vara' with 'ha' for the perfect tense.
✗

Dörren är stänga.

✓

Dörren är stängd.

Using the infinitive instead of the participle.
✗

Bilen är måla.

✓

Bilen är målad.

Forgetting the participle ending entirely.
✗

Jag är trötten.

✓

Jag är trött.

Adding unnecessary endings to simple adjectives.
✗

Ett målad hus.

✓

Ett målat hus.

Failing to change -ad to -at for ett-words.
✗

De är stängd.

✓

De är stängda.

Forgetting the plural ending.
✗

Boken är skrivit.

✓

Boken är skriven.

Using the supinum (-it) instead of the participle (-en).
✗

Huset blev målad.

✓

Huset blev målat.

Agreement error in a passive construction with 'bli'.
✗

De köpt bilarna.

✓

De köpta bilarna.

Missing the plural ending in an attributive position.
✗

En stängt dörr.

✓

En stängd dörr.

Using the neuter -t for a common gender noun.
✗

Den skrivna boken av honom.

✓

Boken som skrevs av honom / Den av honom skrivna boken.

Incorrect word order in complex participle phrases.
✗

De försvunnet dokumenten.

✓

De försvunna dokumenten.

Using the ett-word form for a plural definite noun.
✗

Han blev rörd av filmen (when meaning 'touched' physically).

✓

Han blev vidrörd.

Confusing metaphorical and literal participles.

Sentence Patterns

Jag är ___ (feeling).

Huset är ___ (color) och ___ (action).

Bilen blev ___ av ___.

Trots att jag var ___ , så ___ jag.

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

Jag är så taggad! (I'm so pumped!)

Texting constant

Är du klar? (Are you ready/done?)

Job Interviews common

Jag är van vid att arbeta i team. (I am used to working in teams.)

Travel very common

Tåget är inställt. (The train is cancelled.)

Food Delivery Apps common

Maten är levererad. (The food is delivered.)

News Headlines very common

Bank rånad i morse. (Bank robbed this morning.)

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💡

The 'Ett' Test

If you're unsure of the ending, check if the noun is an 'ett' word. If it is, the ending almost always involves a '-t'.
⚠️

Don't 'it' your Adjectives

Never use the -it ending (supinum) to describe a noun. 'Boken är skrivit' sounds very broken to a Swede.
🎯

Feelings are Participles

Most Swedish words for emotions (interested, bored, excited) are actually past participles. Learn them as a group!
💬

Passive Politeness

Using the 'bli' passive is a great way to be polite when something goes wrong, as it avoids pointing fingers at a specific person.

Smart Tips

Check the noun's gender immediately to ensure the participle ending matches.

Fönstret är stängd. → Fönstret är stängt.

Remember that the 'en' and 'ett' forms look identical (-t), but the plural still needs an '-a'.

De köpt bilarna. → De köpta bilarna.

Use the past participle as an adjective before the noun instead of a relative clause.

Boken som är skriven av honom... → Den av honom skrivna boken...

Almost all Swedish emotion words ending in -ad or -d are participles. Treat them like adjectives.

Jag är intressera. → Jag är intresserad.

النطق

/stɛŋd/

The -d/-t distinction

In Group 2, the 'd' is voiced and the 't' is voiceless. Make sure to pronounce the 'd' clearly in 'stängd'.

/-adə/

Plural -de

The 'e' in '-ade' or '-de' is a short, neutral sound, like the 'e' in 'the'.

Descriptive Stress

En STÄNGD dörr

Emphasis on the state of the object.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: 'Participles are People-pleasers'—they always change their clothes (endings) to match the noun they are with!

Visual Association

Imagine a chameleon sitting on a noun. If the noun is a 'blue' en-word, the chameleon turns into a '-d' shape. If it's a 'red' ett-word, it turns into a '-t' shape. If there are many nouns, it grows a big '-e' tail.

Rhyme

En-word -d, Ett-word -t, Plural -a, that's the key!

Story

A painter named Adam (Group 1 -ad) painted a wall. Now the wall is 'målad'. He then went to a shop to 'köpa' (Group 2b) a gift. Now the gift is 'köpt'. Finally, he wrote a letter (Group 4). Now the letter is 'skriven'.

Word Web

måladstängdköptsyddskrivendruckenstulenförstörd

تحدٍّ

Look around your room and find 5 objects. Describe their state using a past participle (e.g., 'Lampan är tänd', 'Boken är öppnad').

ملاحظات ثقافية

Swedes often use the past participle 'lagom' (though not a true participle, it functions similarly) to describe a state of 'just rightness'. Using participles like 'förberedd' (prepared) is highly valued in Swedish work culture.

In Swedish law, the past participle is used extensively to create precise, agentless sentences. This avoids blaming individuals and focuses on the law.

In some southern dialects (Skåne), the plural '-ade' might sound more like '-ade' with a hard 'd', whereas in Stockholm it is softer.

The Swedish past participle descends from the Proto-Germanic verbal adjective suffix *-da / *-ta.

Conversation Starters

“

Är du förberedd för provet?

“

Vilken är din favoritmat, stekt eller kokt?

“

Har du någonsin blivit överraskad av en vän?

“

Är alla dina dokument underskrivna?

Journal Prompts

Beskriv ditt rum. Vad är öppet, stängt, tänt eller släckt?
Berätta om en gång när du blev riktigt glad eller överraskad.
Skriv en kort rapport om ett avslutat projekt på jobbet eller i skolan.
Diskutera fördelarna med ekologiskt odlad mat jämfört med vanlig mat.
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Test Yourself

Fill in the correct form of 'måla' (Group 1).

Huset är ___ .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: målat
'Huset' is an ett-word, so we use the -at ending.
Which sentence is correct? اختيار متعدد

Describing two closed doors.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Dörrarna är stängda.
Plural nouns require the -da/-ade/-na ending.
Fix the error in this sentence: 'Jag har skriven ett brev.' Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Jag har skriven ett brev.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag har skrivit ett brev.
With 'har', you must use the supinum (-it), not the participle.
Change to passive: 'Någon stals bilen.' (Someone stole the car) Sentence Transformation

Bilen ___ .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: blev stulen
'Bilen' is an en-word, and 'stjäla' is a Group 4 verb (stulen).
Which of these is a past participle? Grammar Sorting

Identify the participle form.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: skriven
'Skriver' is present, 'skrev' is past, 'skriven' is the participle.
Match the verb to its ett-word participle. Match Pairs

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: stängt, köpt, skrivet
Ett-words always end in -t or -et.
True or False: The past participle changes based on the noun. True False Rule

Does the past participle agree with the noun?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Yes, it acts like an adjective and must agree in gender and number.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Är maten klar? B: Ja, den är ___ .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: serverad
'Maten' is an en-word, so 'serverad' is correct.

Score: /8

تمارين تطبيقية

8 exercises
Fill in the correct form of 'måla' (Group 1).

Huset är ___ .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: målat
'Huset' is an ett-word, so we use the -at ending.
Which sentence is correct? اختيار متعدد

Describing two closed doors.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Dörrarna är stängda.
Plural nouns require the -da/-ade/-na ending.
Fix the error in this sentence: 'Jag har skriven ett brev.' Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Jag har skriven ett brev.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag har skrivit ett brev.
With 'har', you must use the supinum (-it), not the participle.
Change to passive: 'Någon stals bilen.' (Someone stole the car) Sentence Transformation

Bilen ___ .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: blev stulen
'Bilen' is an en-word, and 'stjäla' is a Group 4 verb (stulen).
Which of these is a past participle? Grammar Sorting

Identify the participle form.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: skriven
'Skriver' is present, 'skrev' is past, 'skriven' is the participle.
Match the verb to its ett-word participle. Match Pairs

stänga, köpa, skriva

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: stängt, köpt, skrivet
Ett-words always end in -t or -et.
True or False: The past participle changes based on the noun. True False Rule

Does the past participle agree with the noun?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Yes, it acts like an adjective and must agree in gender and number.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Är maten klar? B: Ja, den är ___ .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: serverad
'Maten' is an en-word, so 'serverad' is correct.

Score: /8

الأسئلة الشائعة (8)

It depends on the noun. 'Stängd' is for en-words (en dörr är stängd), and 'stängt' is for ett-words (ett fönster är stängt).

Because 'skrivit' is the supinum form used only with 'ha'. To describe yourself or a state, you must use the participle 'skriven'.

Use 'bli' for an action (The house was painted last week) and 'vara' for a state (The house is painted white).

Yes, in the en-word singular form. They change to -et for ett-words and -na for plural.

Technically it's a pure adjective, but it functions exactly like a past participle in usage.

Add -ade to the stem. For example, 'målad' becomes 'målade'.

Yes! This is called attributive use, like 'en stängd dörr' (a closed door).

Yes, strong verbs (Group 4) often have vowel changes, like 'skära' (cut) becoming 'skuren'.

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In Other Languages

English high

Past Participle (-ed, -en)

Swedish participles change for gender and number; English ones do not.

German moderate

Partizip II

Swedish lacks the 'ge-' prefix found in German.

French moderate

Participe passé

French agreement rules are more complex regarding direct objects.

Spanish moderate

Participio

Spanish does not change the participle in the perfect tense (haber + participio), whereas Swedish uses the supinum.

Arabic low

اسم المفعول (Ism al-Ma'ful)

Arabic formation is based on root patterns, not verb groups.

Chinese none

的 (de) constructions

Chinese uses particles and word order instead of morphological endings.

Previous
Present Participle
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Participles as Adjectives

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