MLW #3: Nouns - singular/plural, indefinite/definite form (1)

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Nouns in Swedish can be ______________ or ______________ depending on whether we are talking about one or more items.

Nouns can also be in ______________ or ______________ form depending on whether we are talking about something general or specific.

Fill in the table with these: katterna, en katt, katten, katter

singular indefinite		a cat
singular definite		a particular cat
plural indefinite		cats (in general)
plural definite		particular cats

Depending on whether the noun is singular or plural and whether we want to use it in its definite or indefinite form, nouns in Swedish receive different suffixes.

1. En-words ending in -a (-a disappears in plural).

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a flower	en blomma	blomman	blommor	blommorna
a woman	en kvinna
a pen	en penna
a clock	en klocka

2. Some en-words ending in other vowels.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a shoe	en sko	skon	skor	skorna
a substitute	en vikarie
an event	en händelse
a share	en aktie

3. Some en-words end in -ar in the plural. Nouns ending in -ing always end in -ar in the plural.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a bus	en buss	bussen	bussar	bussarna
a car	en bil
a journal	en tidning
a chair	en stol

4. Other en-words end in -er in the plural. Many of them come from other languages.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a break	en paus	pausen	pauser	pauserna
a mobile	en mobil
a station	en station
a student	en student

5. Ett-words ending in a vowel.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a work	ett arbete	arbetet	arbeten	arbetena
a message	ett meddelande
a brand	ett märke
a receipt	ett kvitto

6. Ett-words ending in a consonant.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a job	ett jobb	jobbet	jobb	jobben
a desk	ett bord
a letter	ett brev
a system	ett system

7. En-words ending in -are and -er.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a doctor	en läkare	läkaren	läkare	läkarna
a musician	en musiker
a teacher	en lärare
a politician	en politiker

Correct answers

Nouns in Swedish can be singular or plural depending on whether we are talking about one or more items.

Nouns can also be in indefinite or definite form depending on whether we are talking about something general or specific.

Fill in the table with these: katterna, en katt, katten, katter

singular indefinite	en katt	a cat
singular definite	katten	a particular cat
plural indefinite	katter	cats (in general)
plural definite	katterna	particular cats

Depending on whether the noun is singular or plural and whether we want to use it in its definite or indefinite form, nouns in Swedish receive different suffixes.

1. En-words ending in -a (-a disappears in plural).

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a flower	en blomma	blomman	blommor	blommorna
a woman	en kvinna	kvinnan	kvinnor	kvinnorna
a pen	en penna	pennan	pennor	pennorna
a clock	en klocka	klockan	klockor	klockorna

2. Some en-words ending in other vowels.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a shoe	en sko	skon	skor	skorna
a substitute	en vikarie	vikarien	vikarier	vikariern
an event	en händelse	händelsen	händelser	händelserna
a share	en aktie	aktien	aktier	aktierna

3. Some en-words end in -ar in the plural. Nouns ending in -ing always end in -ar in the plural.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a bus	en buss	bussen	bussar	bussarna
a car	en bil	bilen	bilar	bilarna
a journal	en tidning	tidningen	tidningar	tidningarna
a chair	en stol	stolen	stolar	stolarna

4. Other en-words end in -er in the plural. Many of them come from other languages.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a break	en paus	pausen	pauser	pauserna
a mobile	en mobil	mobilen	mobile	mobilerna
a station	en station	stationen	stationer	stationerna
a student	en student	studenten	studenter	studenterna

5. Ett-words ending in a vowel.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a work	ett arbete	arbetet	arbeten	arbetena
a message	ett meddelande	meddelandet	meddelanden	meddelandena
a brand	ett märke	märket	märken	märkena
a receipt	ett kvitto	kvittot	kvitton	kvittona

6. Ett-words ending in a consonant.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a job	ett jobb	jobbet	jobb	jobben
a desk	ett bord	bordet	bord	borden
a letter	ett brev	brevet	brev	breven
a system	ett system	systemet	system	systemen

7. En-words ending in -are and -er.

	sing. indef.	sing. def.	pl. indef.	pl. def.
a doctor	en läkare	läkaren	läkare	läkarna
a musician	en musiker	musikern	musiker	musikerna
a teacher	en lärare	läraren	lärare	lärarna
a politician	en politiker	politikern	politiker	politikern