Difference between revisions of "Language/Swedish/Grammar/When-use-Ett-or-En"

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== INDEFINITE FORM ==
In Swedish we have two words to choose between when we want to write about nouns in indefinite form: En or Ett.
In Swedish we have two words to choose between when we want to write about nouns in indefinite form: En or Ett.


For example:  
For example:  
Ett bord = A table


Ett bord = a table
En hund = A dog


En hund = a dog
Ett äpple = An apple


Ett äpple = an apple
En skola =   A school


En skola =   a school
== COMMON MISTAKE ==
En (Swedish article) = An (English article)
 
Ett (Swedish article) = A (English article)
 
This is not true. There is no grammatical rule to know when to use En or Ett, you just simply have to learn them.
 
== DEFINITE FORM ==
When we want a noun to be in definite form we add a suffix to the noun; -en, -n or -et.
 
For example:
<u>Ett</u> bord = Bord<u>et</u>
 
<u>En</u> hund = Hund<u>en</u>
 
<u>Ett</u> äpple = Äppl<u>et</u>
 
<u>En</u> skola = Skola<u>n</u> <-- Here we just add -n since the word already ends with a vowel.
As you might have noticed, you can know which suffix to use by looking at the indefinite article.
 
If it's an "En-word", the suffix is -en or -n.
 
If it's an "Ett-word", the suffix is -et.

Revision as of 08:35, 31 October 2016

INDEFINITE FORM

In Swedish we have two words to choose between when we want to write about nouns in indefinite form: En or Ett.

For example:

Ett bord = A table
En hund = A dog
Ett äpple = An apple
En skola =   A school

COMMON MISTAKE

En (Swedish article) = An (English article)

Ett (Swedish article) = A (English article)

This is not true. There is no grammatical rule to know when to use En or Ett, you just simply have to learn them.

DEFINITE FORM

When we want a noun to be in definite form we add a suffix to the noun; -en, -n or -et.

For example:

Ett bord = Bordet
En hund = Hunden
Ett äpple = Äpplet
En skola = Skolan <-- Here we just add -n since the word already ends with a vowel.

As you might have noticed, you can know which suffix to use by looking at the indefinite article.

If it's an "En-word", the suffix is -en or -n.

If it's an "Ett-word", the suffix is -et.