Questions & Answers about En vuxen väntar vid sjön.
In en vuxen, is vuxen a noun or an adjective, and what does it literally mean?
Vuxen is originally an adjective meaning “grown, adult” (from växa – “to grow”), but here it is used as a noun, meaning “an adult”.
- en vuxen = an adult / a grown‑up
So in this sentence, en vuxen is the subject: “An adult is waiting by the lake.”
Why is it en vuxen and not ett vuxen?
Swedish has two grammatical genders: en-words (common gender) and ett-words (neuter).
When vuxen is used as a noun for “an adult person”, it is treated as an en-word:
- en vuxen = an adult
- den vuxna = the adult
You only use ett with neuter nouns (like ett barn – a child). Vuxen (adult person) is not neuter, so ett vuxen is incorrect in this meaning.
How do I say “the adult” and “adults / the adults” using vuxen?
The most common forms are:
- en vuxen – an adult
- den vuxna – the adult
- vuxna – adults
- de vuxna – the adults
Examples:
- Den vuxna väntar vid sjön. – The adult is waiting by the lake.
- Vuxna väntar vid sjön. – Adults are waiting by the lake.
- De vuxna väntar vid sjön. – The adults are waiting by the lake.