The rule in one table
A Swedish adjective changes with the noun it describes. Three questions decide the ending: is the noun an en-word or an ett-word, is it singular or plural, and is it indefinite (a car) or definite (the car, my car)?
| en-word | ett-word | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite | en stor bil | ett stort hus | stora bilar, stora hus |
| Definite | den stora bilen | det stora huset | de stora bilarna |
| Possessive | min stora bil | mitt stora hus | mina stora bilar |
| After är | Bilen är stor. | Huset är stort. | Bilarna är stora. |
So there are only three endings to learn: nothing, -t and -a. The -t form is only for indefinite ett-words, and the -a form covers every plural and everything definite. Not sure whether a noun is en or ett? Check it in the en or ett checker.
The spelling rules for -t
| Adjective ends in | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| most consonants | add -t | stor → stort, fin → fint, billig → billigt |
| long vowel | add -tt | ny → nytt, blå → blått, fri → fritt |
| long vowel + d | d → tt | röd → rött, glad → glatt, god → gott |
| long vowel + t | t → tt | vit → vitt, söt → sött |
| consonant + d | d → t | hård → hårt, känd → känt, stängd → stängt |
| consonant + t | no change | svart → svart, kort → kort, intressant → intressant |
| -en | n → t | öppen → öppet, mogen → moget, liten → litet |
In the plural, adjectives in -el, -en and -er lose their e (gammal → gamla, öppen → öppna, vacker → vackra), and a single m after a short vowel doubles (tom → tomma).
The irregular and unchanging ones
| en-word | ett-word | plural | definite singular | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| liten | litet | små | lilla | small |
| gammal | gammalt | gamla | gamla | old |
| annan | annat | andra | andra | other, another |
| bra | bra | bra | bra | good |
| rosa, lila, extra | rosa, lila, extra | rosa, lila, extra | rosa, lila, extra | pink, purple, extra |
One more detail you will meet in writing: with men and boys, the definite form sometimes ends in -e instead of -a: den gamle mannen. It is optional and fading, and den gamla mannen is also correct, so the trainer always uses -a.
Every adjective in the trainer
The forms of the 48 adjectives you practise above, checked against our dictionary.
| en-word | ett-word | plural | definite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| liten | litet | små | lilla | small |
| ny | nytt | nya | nya | new |
| gammal | gammalt | gamla | gamla | old |
| röd | rött | röda | röda | red |
| vit | vitt | vita | vita | white |
| svart | svart | svarta | svarta | black |
| blå | blått | blå / blåa | blå | blue |
| rosa | rosa | rosa | rosa | pink |
| lila | lila | lila | lila | purple |
| glad | glatt | glada | glada | happy |
| trött | trött | trötta | trötta | tired |
| söt | sött | söta | söta | cute |
| god | gott | goda | goda | tasty |
| känd | känt | kända | kända | famous |
| vacker | vackert | vackra | vackra | beautiful |
| tom | tomt | tomma | tomma | empty |
| öppen | öppet | öppna | öppna | open |
| intressant | intressant | intressanta | intressanta | interesting |
| enkel | enkelt | enkla | enkla | simple |
| säker | säkert | säkra | säkra | safe |
| kort | kort | korta | korta | short |
| lätt | lätt | lätta | lätta | light |
| hård | hårt | hårda | hårda | hard |
| bred | brett | breda | breda | wide |
| mogen | moget | mogna | mogna | ripe |
| bra | bra | bra | bra | good |
| gratis | gratis | gratis | gratis | free |
| extra | extra | extra | extra | extra |
| annan | annat | andra | andra | other |
| stor | stort | stora | stora | big |
| fin | fint | fina | fina | nice |
| billig | billigt | billiga | billiga | cheap |
| dyr | dyrt | dyra | dyra | expensive |
| ren | rent | rena | rena | clean |
| smutsig | smutsigt | smutsiga | smutsiga | dirty |
| grön | grönt | gröna | gröna | green |
| gul | gult | gula | gula | yellow |
| snäll | snällt | snälla | snälla | kind |
| ung | ungt | unga | unga | young |
| hungrig | hungrigt | hungriga | hungriga | hungry |
| lugn | lugnt | lugna | lugna | calm |
| rolig | roligt | roliga | roliga | fun |
| modern | modernt | moderna | moderna | modern |
| lång | långt | långa | långa | long |
| tung | tungt | tunga | tunga | heavy |
| varm | varmt | varma | varma | warm |
| kall | kallt | kalla | kalla | cold |
| bekväm | bekvämt | bekväma | bekväma | comfortable |
Next steps: practise word order with the sentence builder, look up any word in the dictionary, or watch Lesson 37 on definite plurals from the free course. Form data comes from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Folkets lexikon (CC BY-SA 2.5), checked by hand.
Frequently asked questions
When does a Swedish adjective end in -t?
When it describes an ett-word in the indefinite form, or after är when the subject is an ett-word: ett stort hus, huset är stort. With en-words it keeps its basic form (en stor bil) and in the plural it ends in -a (stora bilar).
Why is it den stora bilen and not den stor bilen?
In the definite form the adjective always takes its so-called weak form, which ends in -a for both genders: den stora bilen, det stora huset, de stora bilarna. The noun keeps its definite ending too, so the definiteness is marked twice.
Is it min stor bil or min stora bil?
Min stora bil. After possessives (min, mitt, mina, din, hans, hennes, vår, Annas) the adjective takes the -a form, just as after den. Unlike after den, the noun has no definite ending: min stora bil, not min stora bilen.
What are the forms of liten?
En liten bil, ett litet hus, små bilar. In the definite singular it becomes lilla: den lilla bilen, min lilla bil. In the definite plural it is små again: de små bilarna.
Why is it rött and not rödt?
Adjectives ending in a long vowel + d change the d to tt: röd, rött; glad, glatt; god, gott; bred, brett. After a consonant + d the d simply becomes t: hård, hårt; känd, känt. Adjectives already ending in a consonant + t add nothing: svart, intressant, kort.
Which Swedish adjectives never change?
Bra, and most adjectives ending in -a or -e: extra, äkta, rosa, lila, öde. Gratis and kul are also usually left unchanged. You say ett bra hus, ett rosa paraply, en gratis kopp kaffe.