Koppen är tom, och skåpet i köket är också nästan tomt.

Because koppen and skåpet are the definite forms: the cup and the cupboard/cabinet.

In Swedish, definiteness is often added as a suffix:

• en kopp = a cup

• koppen = the cup

• ett skåp = a cupboard / a cabinet
• skåpet = the cupboard / the cabinet

So in this sentence, we are talking about specific things: the cup and the cupboard.

Because Swedish usually repeats the verb in each clause, just like English does.

The sentence has two linked parts:

• Koppen är tom = The cup is empty
• skåpet i köket är också nästan tomt = the cupboard in the kitchen is also almost empty

They are joined by och = and.

So repeating är is completely normal and necessary here.

This is because Swedish adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun.

• kopp is a common-gender noun (en word), so the adjective is tom
• skåp is a neuter noun (ett word), so the adjective is tomt

Compare:

• en kopp är tom
• ett skåp är tomt

This is a very common pattern in Swedish:

• common gender: basic form
• neuter gender: often add -t

They are two forms of the same adjective: empty.

Here are the main forms:

• tom → used with en-words
• tomt → used with ett-words
• tomma → used with plural nouns and often with definite nouns in some structures

Examples:

• en kopp är tom = a cup is empty
• ett skåp är tomt = a cupboard is empty
• kopparna är tomma = the cups are empty

So tom and tomt do not mean different things; they just match different noun types.

Because nästan modifies the adjective that belongs to skåpet, and skåpet is a neuter noun.

So:

• skåpet = an ett-word
• adjective must be neuter
• therefore: tomt

Nästan means almost, and it does not change form. It simply goes before the adjective:

• nästan tom
• nästan tomt

The adjective still has to agree with the noun.

Också means also or too.

In this sentence:

• skåpet i köket är också nästan tomt

it means that the cupboard shares a similar quality with the cup: the cup is empty, and the cupboard is also almost empty.

Its placement is natural Swedish word order here. It comes after the verb är:

• är också nästan tomt

This is a very common position for också in Swedish.

Compare:

• Han är också här = He is also here
• Det är också sant = That is also true

Because i is the normal preposition for in when talking about being inside a place.

• i köket = in the kitchen

Also, köket is the definite form of kök:

• ett kök = a kitchen
• köket = the kitchen

So literally:

• skåpet i köket = the cupboard in the kitchen

Yes, skåp can mean several similar things depending on context.

Common translations include:

• cupboard
• cabinet
• closet
• sometimes locker

In skåpet i köket, the kitchen context makes cupboard or cabinet the most natural translation.

So the exact English word can vary, but the Swedish word is perfectly normal here.

The comma is optional or stylistic in many Swedish sentences like this, especially when two full clauses are joined.

Here the two clauses are:

• Koppen är tom
• skåpet i köket är också nästan tomt

They are fairly complete on their own, so a comma can be used to make the sentence easier to read.

In everyday Swedish, many writers would also write it without a comma:

• Koppen är tom och skåpet i köket är också nästan tomt.

Both are understandable; the comma just adds a pause.

It is understandable, but it sounds less natural.

The more natural version is:

• skåpet är också nästan tomt

This places också before nästan tomt, which neatly means is also almost empty.

If you say:

• är nästan också tomt

it can sound awkward because också is being inserted in a less usual spot.

For learners, a good pattern is:

• subject + verb + också + rest

Example:

• Han är också trött
• Boken är också dyr
• Skåpet är också nästan tomt

Because nästan is an adverb, not an adjective.

Adverbs in Swedish usually do not change form to match gender or number. Nästan always stays nästan.

Examples:

• nästan tom
• nästan tomt
• nästan full
• nästan färdigt

It is the adjective after it that changes, not nästan.

No, that would be incorrect.

Kopp is an en-word, so the adjective should be the common-gender form:

• Koppen är tom ✅

not:

• Koppen är tomt ❌

Use tomt with ett-words, such as:

• Skåpet är tomt
• Glaset är tomt

This is an important agreement pattern to learn early.

It would be:

• En kopp är tom, och ett skåp i ett kök är också nästan tomt.

But that sounds less natural in many real situations, because the original sentence is talking about specific things: the cup and the cupboard in the kitchen.

Still, grammatically it shows the pattern clearly:

• en kopp → tom
• ett skåp → tomt

So the original sentence is useful not only for meaning, but also for seeing both noun genders and adjective agreement in one example.