Learn Hardcore Swedish: Barnen får en gratis bulle efter fikan. - The children get a free bun after the coffee break.

It most naturally means “get/receive.” Swedish få can mean both “to get/receive” and “to be allowed to,” but with a direct object like en gratis bulle the default reading is that the children are being given a free bun. If you want to emphasize permission, you’d more likely say something like Barnen får ta en bulle (“The children are allowed to take a bun.”).

Why is it en gratis bulle and not ett?

Because bulle is a common-gender (en-words) noun: en bulle. Its forms are:

singular: en bulle
definite singular: bullen
plural: bullar
definite plural: bullarna

Does gratis change form to agree with the noun?

No. Gratis is indeclinable as an adjective in Swedish. It stays the same with all genders, numbers, and definiteness:

en gratis bulle
ett gratis äpple
gratis bullar
den gratis bullen / de gratis bullarna

Could I put gratis after the noun, like “en bulle gratis”?

Yes. Gratis can also function adverbially: en bulle gratis = “a bun for free.” Subtle nuance:

en gratis bulle emphasizes that the bun itself is free of charge.
en bulle gratis emphasizes the manner (you get it for free). Both are fine here.

Why is it efter fikan and not just efter fika?

Here we’re referring to a particular fika (the one we just had), so the definite form makes sense: fikan (“the fika”). Swedish often uses bare nouns for routine meals (e.g., efter lunch), but for fika it’s very common to use the definite: efter fikan or efter fikat.

Which is correct: efter fikan or efter fikat?

Both occur. Traditionally, fika is an en-word (en fika → fikan). In everyday speech, many also treat it as a neuter noun (ett fika → fikat). Use the form that matches how you treat the word regionally or personally; both will be understood.

Can I move efter fikan to the front of the sentence?

Yes, and then Swedish V2 word order kicks in, so the finite verb stays in second position:

Efter fikan får barnen en gratis bulle.

Does the sentence mean one bun per child, or one bun to share?

As written, it’s ambiguous, though many would assume one per child from context. To be crystal clear about “one each,” say:

Barnen får varsin gratis bulle. (For a neuter object you’d use varsitt, e.g., varsitt glas.)

Could I drop the article and say Barnen får gratis bulle?

No. Singular count nouns in Swedish generally need a determiner. You need en (or something similar like varsin, någon, en var, etc.): Barnen får en gratis bulle.

Is fika a noun or a verb here?

A noun. Fika can be both:

verb: att fika (“to have coffee/take a coffee break”)
noun: en/ett fika (“a coffee break”) In efter fikan, it’s the noun in definite form.

How would I say “right after the fika”?

Use an intensifier:

precis efter fikan / direkt efter fikan You can also use the adverb efteråt (“afterwards”) without an object:
Barnen får en gratis bulle efteråt.

How would the meaning change with a definite bun?

Barnen får bullen gratis efter fikan. = “The children get the bun for free after the fika,” referring to a specific bun already known in the context. Indefinite (en bulle) introduces a previously unknown bun; definite (bullen) refers back to a known one.

Is there a difference between gratis and fri?

gratis = free of charge (no cost).
fri = free/unrestricted/without (something). It can also mean “free of charge” in set phrases like fri entré (“free admission”), but generally use gratis for “at no cost,” and fri for freedom from constraints: sockerfri bulle (“sugar-free bun”).

What are the forms of barn? Why is it barnen?

Barn is a neuter noun with an invariant plural:

singular: ett barn
definite singular: barnet
plural: barn
definite plural: barnen So barnen = “the children.”