Indefinite articles
Swedish has two indefinite articles: 'en' and 'ett'. 'En' is used for common gender nouns, and 'ett' is for neuter gender nouns.
How It Works
In English, you use 'a' or 'an' to talk about a single, non-specific thing, like 'a book' or 'an apple'. Swedish has the same concept, but with two forms: en and ett.
The choice between them depends entirely on the noun's grammatical gender, which is a core feature of the language. You can learn more about this in the noun genders lesson.
- en is used for common gender nouns (utrum). Common gender is the larger noun class; learn each noun with its article.
- ett is used for neuter gender nouns (neutrum).
You must learn the gender for each new noun you encounter. For example:
- en bil (a car)
- ett hus (a house)
Unlike the definite article (like 'the'), which is usually an ending attached to the noun (e.g., bilen), the indefinite article is a separate word placed before the noun.
Important: There is no plural form of the article en/ett. A plural noun can stand alone or take a word such as några (some).
- Singular: Jag ser en katt. (I see a cat.)
- Plural: Jag ser katter. (I see cats.)
Swedish and English do not use articles in every same place. For a simple profession statement, Swedish normally uses no article: Hon är lärare (She is a teacher). An adjective can change the pattern: Hon är en skicklig lärare (She is a skilled teacher). The article also need not mean that the speaker has no particular person or thing in mind.
Examples (5)
- en bok
a book
Word by Word: a book
'Bok' (book) is a common gender noun, so it uses 'en'.
- ett äpple
an apple
Word by Word: an apple
'Äpple' (apple) is a neuter gender noun, so it uses 'ett'.
- Jag har en hund.
I have a dog.
Word by Word: I have a dog.
- Hon bor i ett hus.
She lives in a house.
Word by Word: She lives in a house.
- De har barn.
They have children.
Word by Word: They have child(ren).
Ha barn can state that someone has children without specifying their number. Barn has the same singular and plural shape, and this article-free expression need not mean more than one child.
Common Mistakes
Using the wrong gender article.
Jag ser ett flicka.Jag ser en flicka.The noun 'flicka' (girl) is a common gender ('en') word. You must use 'en', not 'ett'.
Using an indefinite article with a plural noun.
Han köper en skor.Han köper skor.Swedish does not use an indefinite article for plural nouns. 'Skor' (shoes) is plural, so no article is needed.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- Noun genders
The article agrees with grammatical gender: en bok, ett hus. Learn a noun together with its article; its English translation does not predict the Swedish gender.
Foundations - Definite articles
Definite and indefinite forms differ in how the referent is identified. En/ett can introduce an unidentified referent or a generic example; definite forms commonly identify a referent recoverable from the context.
Foundations - -or/-ar/-er/-nPlural Endings
Indefinite articles are only used for singular nouns. Knowing how to form plurals helps you understand when not to use 'en' or 'ett'.
Level 1 - Adjective agreement
Just like the indefinite article, adjectives also change their form based on the noun's gender ('en' or 'ett'). Learning noun genders is key for both.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Indefinite articles in Bubblegum
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