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

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(→‎Practice with this Dialogue: Patron is common gender (en). Penna means pencil, not pen. (The part about ink cartridges does not make any sense.))
 
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Hej everyone 😀!
Hej everyone 😀!


In today's lesson, we will be exploring the proper use of "Ett" and "En" in the Swedish language. These two articles both translate to "a" in English, but it can be challenging to determine when to use which one. In this lesson, we will cover the grammatical rules and patterns that govern the use of "Ett" and "En" in Swedish.  
In today's lesson, we will be exploring the proper use of "Ett" and "En" in the [[Language/Swedish/Grammar|Swedish language]].  


By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of how to use these articles correctly, which will help you communicate more effectively in Swedish.  
These two articles both translate to "a" in English, but it can be challenging to determine when to use which one. In this lesson, we will cover the grammatical rules and patterns that govern the use of "Ett" and "En" in Swedish.  


Please feel free to add to this page if you have any suggestions or additional information to share. We hope you enjoy this lesson and find it helpful in your language learning journey!
Let's get started! Låt oss börja!


__TOC__
__TOC__
* Other lessons: After mastering this topic, you might also be interested in learning about the [[Language/Swedish/Grammar/Conditional-Tense|Conditional Tense]] and [[Language/Swedish/Grammar/Time-References|Swedish Grammar - Time References]].
* Please feel free to add to this page if you have any suggestions or additional information to share. We hope you enjoy this lesson and find it helpful in your language learning journey!


==NOUN FORMS==
==NOUN FORMS==
Line 44: Line 46:
<code>→ There is '''no grammatical rule''' to know when to use En or Ett, you just simply '''have to learn them'''.</code>
<code>→ There is '''no grammatical rule''' to know when to use En or Ett, you just simply '''have to learn them'''.</code>
==GOOD NEWS: THERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES==
==GOOD NEWS: THERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES==
Yes! There are some guidelines that can help you to predict the gender.


# Firstly, most human beings and animals are classified as "en" nouns, although there are some exceptions, such as "ett barn" (a child), "ett djur" (an animal), "ett bi" (a bee), and "ett lejon" (a lion).
=== Human beings and animals: ===
# Secondly, there are certain noun endings that are more commonly associated with either "en" or "ett" genders. For example, nouns ending in -ad, -are, -dom, -else, -het, -ing, -ning, -ion, -ism, -lek, -nad, and -or are typically classified as "en" nouns. Meanwhile, nouns ending in -ande, -ende, -ek, -em, -iv, and -um are more likely to be "ett" nouns.
Most human beings and animals are classified as "en" nouns, with a few exceptions.
# Finally, there are some exceptions to these guidelines, such as the fact that names of continents, countries, provinces, and towns are typically classified as "ett" nouns. Additionally, days, months, and seasons are usually "en" nouns, although "ett dygn" (a day/24-hour period) is an exception.
 
* Exceptions: "ett barn" (a child), "ett djur" (an animal), "ett bi" (a bee), and "ett lejon" (a lion).
 
=== Noun endings: ===
Certain noun endings are more commonly associated with either "en" or "ett" genders.
 
* "En" nouns: Nouns ending in -ad, -are, -dom, -else, -het, -ing, -ning, -ion, -ism, -lek, -nad, and -or.
* "Ett" nouns: Nouns ending in -ande, -ende, -ek, -em, -iv, and -um.
 
=== Exceptions: ===
Names of continents, countries, provinces, and towns are typically classified as "ett" nouns.  
 
Days, months, and seasons are usually "en" nouns, with "ett dygn" (a day/24-hour period) being an exception.
 
Here are some additional examples of exceptions:
 
==== Some common 'en' nouns that do not follow the general guidelines: ====
 
* En bok (book)
* En bil (car)
* En hund (dog)
* En katt (cat)
* En cykel (bicycle)
 
==== Some common 'ett' nouns that do not follow the general guidelines: ====
 
* Ett fönster (window)
* Ett bord (table)
* Ett hjärta (heart)
* Ett träd (tree)
* Ett brev (letter)
 
== Summary Table ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Category
!Common Gender
!Examples
!Exceptions
|-
|Human beings
|En
|
|Ett barn (child)
|-
|Animals
|En
|
|Ett djur (animal), ett bi (bee), ett lejon (lion)
|-
|Noun endings
|En
| -ad, -are, -dom, -else, -het, -ing, -ning, -ion, -ism, -lek, -nad, -or
|En bok (book), en bil (car), en hund (dog), en katt (cat), en cykel (bicycle)
|-
|
|Ett
| -ande, -ende, -ek, -em, -iv, -um
|Ett fönster (window), ett bord (table), ett hjärta (heart), ett träd (tree), ett brev (letter)
|-
|Geographical names
|Ett
|Continents, countries, provinces, towns
|
|-
|Time
|En
|Days, months, seasons
|Ett dygn (day/24-hour period)
|}
Remember that learning the exceptions to the general guidelines for 'en' and 'ett' is a crucial part of mastering Swedish. As you continue to study and practice the language, you will become more familiar with the patterns and exceptions, making it easier to predict the gender of new nouns.


By familiarizing yourself with these guidelines and practicing with Swedish language materials, you can improve your ability to correctly use "en" and "ett" in your speech and writing.


== Examples of Nouns with En and Ett ==
== Examples of Nouns with En and Ett ==
Line 89: Line 158:
* Person 2: Jag har en spännande thriller som jag tyckte var bra. Den heter "Ensam varg". Vill du låna den?
* Person 2: Jag har en spännande thriller som jag tyckte var bra. Den heter "Ensam varg". Vill du låna den?
* Person 1: Ja, det låter perfekt. Tack så mycket! Har du en penna också? Jag behöver skriva några anteckningar.
* Person 1: Ja, det låter perfekt. Tack så mycket! Har du en penna också? Jag behöver skriva några anteckningar.
* Person 2: Absolut, här är en penna. Men jag har bara ett bläckpatron kvar, så om du vill ha en till penna måste du köpa ett par nya bläckpatroner också.
* Person 2: Absolut, här är en penna. Men jag har bara en bläckpatron kvar, så om du vill ha en till penna måste du köpa ett par nya bläckpatroner också.
* Person 1: Tack för varningen. En penna är allt jag behöver just nu. Tack för all hjälp!
* Person 1: Tack för varningen. En penna är allt jag behöver just nu. Tack för all hjälp!
* Person 2: Ingen orsak. Jag hoppas att du gillar boken och att pennan fungerar bra för dig.
* Person 2: Ingen orsak. Jag hoppas att du gillar boken och att pennan fungerar bra för dig.
Line 100: Line 169:
* Person 2: I have an exciting thriller that I thought was good. It's called "Lone Wolf". Do you want to borrow it?
* Person 2: I have an exciting thriller that I thought was good. It's called "Lone Wolf". Do you want to borrow it?
* Person 1: Yes, that sounds perfect. Thank you so much! Do you have a pen too? I need to write some notes.
* Person 1: Yes, that sounds perfect. Thank you so much! Do you have a pen too? I need to write some notes.
* Person 2: Absolutely, here's a pen. But I only have one ink cartridge left, so if you want another pen, you'll need to buy a couple of new ink cartridges too.
* Person 2: Absolutely, here's a pencil. But I only have one ink cartridge left, so if you want another pencil, you'll need to buy a couple of new ink cartridges too.
* Person 1: Thanks for the warning. One pen is all I need right now. Thank you for all your help!
* Person 1: Thanks for the warning. One pencil is all I need right now. Thank you for all your help!
* Person 2: No problem. I hope you enjoy the book and that the pen works well for you.
* Person 2: No problem. I hope you enjoy the book and that the pencil works well for you.


==Videos==
==Videos==
Line 125: Line 194:
[[Category: Swedish/Beginner]]
[[Category: Swedish/Beginner]]


==Related Lessons==
==Other Lessons==
* [[Language/Swedish/Grammar/Passive-Voice|Passive Voice]]
* [[Language/Swedish/Grammar/Passive-Voice|Passive Voice]]
* [[Language/Swedish/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have|How to Use Have]]
* [[Language/Swedish/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have|How to Use Have]]
Line 135: Line 204:
* [[Language/Swedish/Grammar/Common-Interjections|Common Interjections]]
* [[Language/Swedish/Grammar/Common-Interjections|Common Interjections]]
* [[Language/Swedish/Grammar/Definite-Articles-in-Swedish|Definite Articles in Swedish]]
* [[Language/Swedish/Grammar/Definite-Articles-in-Swedish|Definite Articles in Swedish]]
<span links></span>

Latest revision as of 19:52, 23 October 2023

"Ett" Versus "En" in Swedish
When use ett or en in Swedish polyglot club wiki.jpg

Hej everyone 😀!

In today's lesson, we will be exploring the proper use of "Ett" and "En" in the Swedish language.

These two articles both translate to "a" in English, but it can be challenging to determine when to use which one. In this lesson, we will cover the grammatical rules and patterns that govern the use of "Ett" and "En" in Swedish.

Let's get started! Låt oss börja!

  • Other lessons: After mastering this topic, you might also be interested in learning about the Conditional Tense and Swedish Grammar - Time References.
  • Please feel free to add to this page if you have any suggestions or additional information to share. We hope you enjoy this lesson and find it helpful in your language learning journey!

NOUN FORMS[edit | edit source]

DEFINITE FORM[edit | edit source]

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.

INDEFINITE FORM[edit | edit source]

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

Examples:

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

IS THERE A GRAMMATICAL RULE?[edit | edit source]

Native English speakers often make the following mistake:

  • En (Swedish article) = An (English article)
  • Ett (Swedish article) = A (English article)

⚠ This rule is wrong!

→ There is no grammatical rule to know when to use En or Ett, you just simply have to learn them.

GOOD NEWS: THERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES[edit | edit source]

Human beings and animals:[edit | edit source]

Most human beings and animals are classified as "en" nouns, with a few exceptions.

  • Exceptions: "ett barn" (a child), "ett djur" (an animal), "ett bi" (a bee), and "ett lejon" (a lion).

Noun endings:[edit | edit source]

Certain noun endings are more commonly associated with either "en" or "ett" genders.

  • "En" nouns: Nouns ending in -ad, -are, -dom, -else, -het, -ing, -ning, -ion, -ism, -lek, -nad, and -or.
  • "Ett" nouns: Nouns ending in -ande, -ende, -ek, -em, -iv, and -um.

Exceptions:[edit | edit source]

Names of continents, countries, provinces, and towns are typically classified as "ett" nouns.

Days, months, and seasons are usually "en" nouns, with "ett dygn" (a day/24-hour period) being an exception.

Here are some additional examples of exceptions:

Some common 'en' nouns that do not follow the general guidelines:[edit | edit source]

  • En bok (book)
  • En bil (car)
  • En hund (dog)
  • En katt (cat)
  • En cykel (bicycle)

Some common 'ett' nouns that do not follow the general guidelines:[edit | edit source]

  • Ett fönster (window)
  • Ett bord (table)
  • Ett hjärta (heart)
  • Ett träd (tree)
  • Ett brev (letter)

Summary Table[edit | edit source]

Category Common Gender Examples Exceptions
Human beings En Ett barn (child)
Animals En Ett djur (animal), ett bi (bee), ett lejon (lion)
Noun endings En -ad, -are, -dom, -else, -het, -ing, -ning, -ion, -ism, -lek, -nad, -or En bok (book), en bil (car), en hund (dog), en katt (cat), en cykel (bicycle)
Ett -ande, -ende, -ek, -em, -iv, -um Ett fönster (window), ett bord (table), ett hjärta (heart), ett träd (tree), ett brev (letter)
Geographical names Ett Continents, countries, provinces, towns
Time En Days, months, seasons Ett dygn (day/24-hour period)

Remember that learning the exceptions to the general guidelines for 'en' and 'ett' is a crucial part of mastering Swedish. As you continue to study and practice the language, you will become more familiar with the patterns and exceptions, making it easier to predict the gender of new nouns.


Examples of Nouns with En and Ett[edit | edit source]

  • En bil (masculine): A car
  • Ett hus (neuter): A house
  • En bok (feminine): A book
  • Ett barn (neuter): A child
  • En hund (masculine): A dog
  • Ett äpple (neuter): An apple
  • En skola (feminine): A school
  • Ett bibliotek (neuter): A library
  • En stol (feminine): A chair
  • Ett fönster (neuter): A window
  • En cykel (masculine): A bicycle
  • Ett träd (neuter): A tree
  • En blomma (feminine): A flower
  • Ett bord (neuter): A table
  • En biljett (feminine): A ticket
  • Ett kort (neuter): A card
  • En dag (masculine): A day
  • Ett år (neuter): A year
  • En film (feminine): A movie
  • Ett spel (neuter): A game
  • En gata (feminine): A street
  • Ett museum (neuter): A museum
  • En kopp (feminine): A cup
  • Ett husdjur (neuter): A pet
  • En vän (feminine): A friend

Practice with this Dialogue[edit | edit source]

Here is a dialogue in Swedish with the use of "En" and "Ett" and its English translation:

Swedish Dialogue:[edit | edit source]

  • Person 1: Hej! Har du en bok jag kan låna?
  • Person 2: Ja, jag har ett par böcker som jag kan låna ut. Vilken typ av bok letar du efter?
  • Person 1: En skönlitterär bok skulle vara bra. Vilken bok skulle du rekommendera?
  • Person 2: Jag har en spännande thriller som jag tyckte var bra. Den heter "Ensam varg". Vill du låna den?
  • Person 1: Ja, det låter perfekt. Tack så mycket! Har du en penna också? Jag behöver skriva några anteckningar.
  • Person 2: Absolut, här är en penna. Men jag har bara en bläckpatron kvar, så om du vill ha en till penna måste du köpa ett par nya bläckpatroner också.
  • Person 1: Tack för varningen. En penna är allt jag behöver just nu. Tack för all hjälp!
  • Person 2: Ingen orsak. Jag hoppas att du gillar boken och att pennan fungerar bra för dig.

English Translation:[edit | edit source]

  • Person 1: Hi! Do you have a book I can borrow?
  • Person 2: Yes, I have a couple of books I can lend out. What kind of book are you looking for?
  • Person 1: A fiction book would be great. What book would you recommend?
  • Person 2: I have an exciting thriller that I thought was good. It's called "Lone Wolf". Do you want to borrow it?
  • Person 1: Yes, that sounds perfect. Thank you so much! Do you have a pen too? I need to write some notes.
  • Person 2: Absolutely, here's a pencil. But I only have one ink cartridge left, so if you want another pencil, you'll need to buy a couple of new ink cartridges too.
  • Person 1: Thanks for the warning. One pencil is all I need right now. Thank you for all your help!
  • Person 2: No problem. I hope you enjoy the book and that the pencil works well for you.

Videos[edit | edit source]




Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

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