Fönstret är högt, men gardinerna är för korta.

Because fönstret is the definite singular form of fönster, meaning the window.

In Swedish, the definite article is often attached to the end of the noun instead of appearing as a separate word like English the.

• ett fönster = a window
• fönstret = the window

Here, fönster is an ett-word, so its definite ending is -et.

Swedish usually puts the at the end of the noun as a suffix.

So instead of saying something like the window, Swedish often says:

• fönstret = the window
• gardinerna = the curtains

This is one of the biggest differences from English. The noun itself changes to show definiteness.

Because högt agrees with fönstret, and fönstret is an ett-word.

Swedish adjectives change form depending on the noun they describe:

• en-word singular: hög
• ett-word singular: högt
• plural: höga

So:

• ett fönster är högt
• en vägg är hög
• husen är höga

Since fönster is an ett-word, högt is the correct form.

Because gardinerna is the definite plural form of gardin, meaning the curtains.

The pattern is:

• en gardin = a curtain
• gardiner = curtains
• gardinerna = the curtains

So -na here marks definite plural.

Because korta is the adjective form used with plural nouns.

Swedish adjective agreement works like this:

• common gender singular: kort
• neuter singular: kort
• plural: korta
• definite forms often also use korta

Since gardinerna is plural, the adjective must also be plural:

• gardinerna är korta = the curtains are short

In this sentence, för korta means too short.

Here, för means too.

So:

• för korta = too short
• för högt = too high
• för dyrt = too expensive

This is a very common Swedish use of för before adjectives and adverbs.

Do not confuse this with other meanings of för, such as for, to, or because of in other contexts.

Because Swedish adjectives still agree with the noun even when they come after är.

In English, we say:

• the curtain is short
• the curtains are short

The adjective short does not change.

In Swedish, the adjective does change:

• gardinen är kort = the curtain is short
• gardinerna är korta = the curtains are short

So adjective agreement happens both before nouns and after linking verbs like är.

Yes. Är is used for both singular and plural in the present tense.

So you get:

• fönstret är högt = the window is high
• gardinerna är för korta = the curtains are too short

Unlike English, Swedish does not change the present tense of to be between is and are. It just uses är.

This is normal Swedish main-clause word order:

• subject + verb + complement

So:

• Fönstret = subject
• är = verb
• högt = complement

And then again:

• gardinerna = subject
• är = verb
• för korta = complement

The word men means but and joins the two clauses.

Grammatically, yes, but it changes the meaning.

• Fönstret är högt = the window is high
• Ett fönster är högt = a window is high

In most contexts, the definite form fönstret sounds more natural if you are talking about a specific window and its curtains.

So the original sentence suggests a particular window and the curtains belonging to it.

Because Swedish nouns belong to one of two grammatical genders:

• en-words
• ett-words

Unfortunately, this often has to be learned noun by noun.

In this sentence:

• ett fönster
• en gardin

The gender matters because it affects articles, adjective forms, and some endings:

• ett fönster → fönstret → högt
• en gardin → gardinen → kort

For learners, it is best to memorize the noun together with en or ett from the beginning.