A1 Adjectives 4 min read Easy

Predicative Adjectives

Match your adjective ending to the gender and number of the noun it describes.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Swedish adjectives change their ending based on the noun's gender (en/ett) and number (plural).

  • En-words: use the base form (e.g., 'en röd bil').
  • Ett-words: add -t (e.g., 'ett rött hus').
  • Plural: add -a (e.g., 'röda bilar/hus').
Noun (en/ett) + är + Adjective (+t if ett, +a if plural)

Overview

## Overview
In Swedish, adjectives are like chameleons—they change their appearance to match the noun they describe. When you use an adjective after a verb like är (is/are), it is called a 'predicative' adjective. Unlike English, where 'red' stays 'red' whether you say 'the car is red' or 'the house is red', Swedish requires you to look at the noun's gender. If the noun is an en-word, you keep the base form. If it is an ett-word, you add a -t. If you are talking about more than one thing, you add an -a. This system helps listeners immediately understand what kind of noun you are referring to, even if they didn't hear the noun clearly. It is a fundamental building block of Swedish grammar that you will use in every single conversation.
## How to Form It
Formation is straightforward once you know the noun's gender.
  1. 1For en-words (singular): Use the base form. Example: Bilen är stor. (The car is big.)
  2. 2For ett-words (singular): Add -t to the base form. Example: Huset är stort. (The house is big.)
  3. 3For all plurals: Add -a to the base form. Example: Bilarna är stora. (The cars are big.)
Note: If an adjective already ends in a double consonant, you might need to adjust spelling (e.g., gammal becomes gammalt for ett-words).
## When to Use It
You use these patterns whenever you describe something. In casual texting, you might say Filmen var bra! (The movie was good). In a professional setting, you might describe a project: Projektet är intressant. (The project is interesting). When traveling, you might tell a waiter Soppan är varm (The soup is hot). These patterns are essential for clarity in daily life.
## Common Mistakes
The most common mistake is forgetting the -t for ett-words. Learners often default to the base form. Another error is using the -t form for plural nouns. Remember: Plural always takes -a.
Wrong: Huset är stor. -> Correct: Huset är stort.
Wrong: Barnen är glatt. -> Correct: Barnen är glada.
## How It's Different From...
This is different from 'attributive' adjectives (adjectives placed before the noun). When the adjective comes before the noun, you also have to consider the definite article (e.g., den stora bilen). Predicative adjectives are simpler because they only care about the gender and number, not the definiteness.
## CEFR-Level Explanations
A1: In Swedish, adjectives change endings. If the word is an 'en' word, use the normal word. If it is an 'ett' word, add 't'. If there are many things, add 'a'. It is easy once you practice!
A2: When you describe a subject using 'är', the adjective must match the noun. 'En' words stay the same, but 'ett' words require a 't' suffix. For plural nouns, the ending is always 'a'. This applies to most adjectives, though some irregular ones exist.
B1: Predicative adjectives function as the complement of the subject. The agreement rules are strictly governed by the grammatical gender of the noun. While 'en' and 'ett' nouns follow standard suffixation, plural agreement is uniform. Be aware of adjectives ending in 't' or 'd', which may require orthographic adjustments to maintain phonetic clarity.
B2: The predicative position requires strict morphological agreement. The suffixation of '-t' for neuter nouns and '-a' for plural nouns is a hallmark of Swedish syntax. This agreement persists even when the subject is a pronoun referring back to a specific noun. Advanced learners should note that certain adjectives, such as those ending in '-sk', may have specific spelling rules when the '-t' suffix is applied.
C1: Predicative agreement in Swedish serves as a crucial marker of noun class. The system is highly regular, yet it demands constant attention to the gender of the antecedent. In formal or literary contexts, the distinction between predicative and attributive agreement is strictly maintained, ensuring that the syntactic structure remains unambiguous. Mastery involves internalizing these patterns to the point of automaticity.
C2: The Swedish predicative adjective system is a vestige of the older Germanic declension system, now simplified into a binary gender-based agreement. While the rules are consistent, the nuance lies in the interaction between the adjective and the verb phrase. Understanding the historical development of these suffixes provides insight into why certain adjectives exhibit irregular orthography, reflecting the language's evolution from Old Norse to modern standard Swedish.

Adjective Agreement Table

Noun Type Example Noun Adjective (Base) Predicative Form
En-word
Bil (car)
Röd
Röd
Ett-word
Hus (house)
Röd
Rött
Plural
Bilar/Hus
Röd
Röda
En-word
Bok (book)
Bra
Bra
Ett-word
Bord (table)
Bra
Bra
Plural
Böcker/Bord
Bra
Bra

Meanings

Predicative adjectives describe the state or quality of a subject after a linking verb like 'är' (is/are).

1

Basic Description

Describing a singular en-word noun.

“Hunden är snäll.”

“Boken är bra.”

2

Ett-word Agreement

Describing a singular ett-word noun.

“Huset är rött.”

“Äpplet är grönt.”

3

Plural Agreement

Describing multiple items.

“Bilarna är röda.”

“Husen är röda.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Predicative Adjectives
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Noun + är + Adj
Bilen är röd.
Negative
Noun + är inte + Adj
Bilen är inte röd.
Question
Är + Noun + Adj?
Är bilen röd?
Plural
Nouns + är + Adj-a
Bilarna är röda.
Ett-word
Ett-noun + är + Adj-t
Huset är rött.
Short Answer
Ja/Nej, den/det är...
Ja, den är röd.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Filmen är god.

Filmen är god. (Talking about entertainment)

Neutral
Filmen är bra.

Filmen är bra. (Talking about entertainment)

Informal
Filmen är grym!

Filmen är grym! (Talking about entertainment)

Slang
Filmen är fett bra!

Filmen är fett bra! (Talking about entertainment)

The Adjective Tree

Adjective

En-word

  • röd red

Ett-word

  • rött red

Plural

  • röda red

Gender Agreement

En
stor big
Ett
stort big

Decision Flow

1

Is it plural?

YES
Add -a
NO
Check gender
2

Is it an ett-word?

YES
Add -t
NO
Keep base

Common Adjectives

🎨

Colors

  • • röd
  • • blå
  • • grön
📏

Sizes

  • • stor
  • • liten
  • • lång
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Examples by Level

1

Bilen är röd.

The car is red.

2

Huset är rött.

The house is red.

3

Bilarna är röda.

The cars are red.

4

Äpplet är grönt.

The apple is green.

1

Maten är god.

The food is good.

2

Barnet är glatt.

The child is happy.

3

Vännerna är snälla.

The friends are kind.

4

Filmen var intressant.

The movie was interesting.

1

Projektet är färdigt.

The project is finished.

2

Dessa stolar är bekväma.

These chairs are comfortable.

3

Problemet är svårt.

The problem is difficult.

4

Kvinnorna är mycket kloka.

The women are very wise.

1

Resultatet blev oväntat.

The result became unexpected.

2

Alla deltagare är välkomna.

All participants are welcome.

3

Dörren är stängd.

The door is closed.

4

Fönstren är öppna.

The windows are open.

1

Situationen ter sig hopplös.

The situation seems hopeless.

2

Dessa argument är fullständigt korrekta.

These arguments are completely correct.

3

Hennes beslut var högst nödvändigt.

Her decision was highly necessary.

4

Många teorier är fortfarande omstridda.

Many theories are still disputed.

1

Detta fenomen är sällsynt förekommande.

This phenomenon is rarely occurring.

2

Deras handlingar var djupt klandervärda.

Their actions were deeply reprehensible.

3

Alla förslag är härmed antagna.

All proposals are hereby accepted.

4

Världen är ständigt föränderlig.

The world is constantly changing.

Easily Confused

Predicative Adjectives vs Attributive vs Predicative

Learners mix up when to add -a.

Predicative Adjectives vs En vs Ett

Learners forget which noun is which.

Predicative Adjectives vs Plural -a

Learners add -t to plural.

Common Mistakes

✗

Huset är stor.

✓

Huset är stort.

Ett-word needs -t.
✗

Bilarna är stor.

✓

Bilarna är stora.

Plural needs -a.
✗

Bilen är stor-t.

✓

Bilen är stor.

En-word uses base form.
✗

Äpplet är god.

✓

Äpplet är gott.

Ett-word needs -t.
✗

Barnen är glatt.

✓

Barnen är glada.

Plural must be -a.
✗

Huset är röd.

✓

Huset är rött.

Ett-word agreement.
✗

Stolarna är bekvämt.

✓

Stolarna är bekväma.

Plural agreement.
✗

Det är en rött bil.

✓

Det är en röd bil.

Attributive vs Predicative confusion.
✗

Husen är röd.

✓

Husen är röda.

Plural agreement.
✗

Bordet är stor.

✓

Bordet är stort.

Ett-word agreement.
✗

Dessa fenomen är sällsynt.

✓

Dessa fenomen är sällsynta.

Plural agreement.
✗

Beslutet är fattad.

✓

Beslutet är fattat.

Participle agreement.
✗

Alla är välkommen.

✓

Alla är välkomna.

Plural agreement.
✗

Det är en svårt problem.

✓

Det är ett svårt problem.

Gender agreement.

Sentence Patterns

___ är ___.

Är ___ ___?

___ är inte ___.

Jag tycker att ___ är ___.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Filmen var bra!

Job Interview common

Projektet är intressant.

Ordering Food very common

Soppan är varm.

Social Media constant

Huset är så fint!

Travel common

Rummet är litet.

Formal Report occasional

Resultatet är korrekt.

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💡

Learn the article

Always learn the noun with its article (en/ett). It makes adjective agreement automatic.
⚠️

Don't overthink

If you forget, just use the base form. People will still understand you.
🎯

Plural is easy

When in doubt for plural, just add -a. It works 99% of the time.
💬

Listen to natives

Listen to how Swedes stress the endings. It helps with rhythm.

Smart Tips

Add a 't' to the adjective.

Huset är stor. → Huset är stort.

Add an 'a' to the adjective.

Bilarna är röd. → Bilarna är röda.

Keep the adjective as is.

Bilen är rödt. → Bilen är röd.

Use the base form; it's better than guessing a wrong ending.

Huset är röd. → Huset är rött.

Pronunciation

stort [stort]

T-ending

The -t ending is usually pronounced clearly, but can be soft in rapid speech.

röda [røːda]

A-ending

The -a ending is a neutral vowel sound.

Statement

Bilen är röd. ↘

Falling intonation for facts.

Question

Är bilen röd? ↗

Rising intonation for yes/no questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'En' is the base, 'Ett' adds a 't', and 'Plural' adds an 'a' (E-T-A).

Visual Association

Imagine a car (en) with no extra parts, a house (ett) wearing a little 't' hat, and a group of people (plural) holding hands in an 'a' shape.

Rhyme

En is plain, Ett gets a T, Plural ends in A for me.

Story

I bought an 'en' car, it was just red. Then I bought an 'ett' house, it had a 't' on the door. Finally, I invited all my 'plural' friends, and they all wore 'a' hats.

Word Web

rödstortgladasnälllångtbra

Challenge

Look at 5 objects in your room. Identify their gender and describe them using 'är' + adjective.

Cultural Notes

Stockholmers often use 'as-' or 'skit-' as intensifiers before adjectives.

Gothenburgers have a melodic lilt and often shorten words.

Southern Swedish has a distinct pronunciation, often sounding closer to Danish.

Swedish adjective agreement stems from Old Norse, where adjectives were declined for gender, number, and case.

Conversation Starters

“

Vad tycker du om filmen?

“

Är maten god?

“

Hur är vädret idag?

“

Vad tycker du om det nya huset?

Journal Prompts

Describe your favorite food.
Describe your best friend.
Describe your dream house.
Describe a city you visited.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the correct ending.

Huset är ___ (röd).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: rött
Ett-word needs -t.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bilen är röd.
En-word uses base.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Barnen är glatt.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Barnen är glada.
Plural needs -a.
Change to plural. Sentence Transformation

Bilen är röd.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bilarna är röda.
Plural needs -a.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Är huset stort? B: Ja, det är ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: stort
Ett-word agreement.
Order the words. Sentence Building

är / röd / bilen

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bilen är röd.
Subject-Verb-Adjective.
Sort by gender. Grammar Sorting

Which takes -t?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Hus
Ett-word.
Match noun to ending. Match Pairs

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: En -> base
Standard rules.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the correct ending.

Huset är ___ (röd).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: rött
Ett-word needs -t.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bilen är röd.
En-word uses base.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Barnen är glatt.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Barnen är glada.
Plural needs -a.
Change to plural. Sentence Transformation

Bilen är röd.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bilarna är röda.
Plural needs -a.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Är huset stort? B: Ja, det är ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: stort
Ett-word agreement.
Order the words. Sentence Building

är / röd / bilen

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Bilen är röd.
Subject-Verb-Adjective.
Sort by gender. Grammar Sorting

Which takes -t?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Hus
Ett-word.
Match noun to ending. Match Pairs

Match:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: En -> base
Standard rules.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

Some adjectives, like 'bra', are indeclinable.

You have to memorize the article with the noun.

No, plural is always -a.

It applies to linking verbs like 'är', 'var', 'blir'.

People will understand, but it sounds ungrammatical.

The rules are standard across Sweden.

Yes, but remember people are usually 'en' words.

Read Swedish news or social media.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

German high

Adjective declension

Swedish lacks the complex case system of German.

Spanish moderate

Gender agreement

Spanish uses gendered endings for all adjectives, not just neuter.

French moderate

Gender agreement

French agreement is primarily gender-based, not neuter-based.

Japanese none

None

Japanese has no gender agreement.

Arabic moderate

Gender/Number agreement

Arabic agreement is much more complex than Swedish.

Chinese none

None

Chinese is an isolating language.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Attributive Adjectives
Next
Adjective Endings

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