-t

Neuter Adjective Form

Level 1

Compare en stor bil and ett stort hus; en röd blomma and ett rött äpple. Not every adjective simply adds one t.

How It Works

When an adjective describes a neuter noun (an ett-word) in its indefinite form (e.g., using the article 'ett'), many adjectives take a neuter -t form, with spelling changes or unchanged forms for some words.

This is a fundamental part of adjective agreement in Swedish.

Common Gender (en-words):

  • en stor bil (a big car)
  • en röd blomma (a red flower)

Neuter Gender (ett-words):

  • ett stort hus (a big house)
  • ett rött äpple (a red apple)

Notice how 'stor' becomes 'stort' and 'röd' becomes 'rött' to match the neuter nouns 'hus' and 'äpple'.

Beyond Simply Adding T
Bra, rosa, and lila are unchanged: ett bra svar, ett rosa hus. Already-final t need not double, as in ett lätt jobb. Learn the adjective’s actual forms.

The neuter form also appears predicatively with a definite singular neuter subject: Huset är stort. Compare attributive det stora huset, where the adjective is in its weak form. Det är kallt describes a general condition; there is no omitted ett-noun required for that pattern.

Examples (4)

  1. ett stort hus

    a big house

    Word by Word: a [neuter] big [neuter] house

    'Hus' is a neuter noun (ett hus), so the adjective 'stor' (big) takes the -t ending.

  2. Jag äter ett rött äpple.

    I am eating a red apple.

    Word by Word: I eat a red apple.

    'Äpple' is a neuter noun (ett äpple), so 'röd' (red) becomes 'rött'.

  3. Han har ett nytt jobb.

    He has a new job.

    Word by Word: He has a new job.

    'Jobb' is a neuter noun (ett jobb), so the adjective 'ny' (new) becomes 'nytt'.

  4. Det är kallt idag.

    It is cold today.

    Word by Word: It is cold today.

    The adjective 'kallt' describes the general situation, which is represented by the neuter pronoun 'det'. Therefore, it takes the -t form.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting to add -t to an adjective describing a neuter (ett) noun.

    Jag bor i ett stor hus.
    Jag bor i ett stort hus.

    Because 'hus' is a neuter noun ('ett hus'), the adjective 'stor' must agree with it by adding a -t, becoming 'stort'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-tLevel 1Neuter Adjective Form

Learn This First

Understanding the neuter adjective form requires a foundational knowledge of the Swedish gender system. Since adjectives change their endings to match the noun they describe, you must be able to identify 'ett' nouns before you can apply the -t suffix to the accompanying adjective.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.