Den strukna skjortan hänger på en galge i garderoben.

Because skjorta is an en-word in Swedish, also called common gender.

• en skjorta = a shirt
• skjortan = the shirt

When a definite en-word has an adjective before it, Swedish uses den:

• den strukna skjortan = the ironed shirt

If the noun were a det-word instead, you would use det.

This is a very common Swedish pattern called double definiteness.

When a noun is definite and has an adjective in front of it, Swedish normally marks definiteness twice:

1. with den/det/de before the adjective
2. with the definite ending on the noun

So:

• skjorta = shirt
• skjortan = the shirt
• den strukna skjortan = the ironed shirt

You cannot usually just say strukna skjortan in a normal sentence like this.

Because the adjective-like form must agree with the definite noun phrase.

Struken / struket / strukna are forms of the past participle used like an adjective. In a definite phrase such as den ... skjortan, Swedish normally uses the -a form:

• en struken skjorta = an ironed shirt
• den strukna skjortan = the ironed shirt

So even though skjorta is an en-word, the definite form of the adjective/participle is still strukna.

Here it means ironed.

It comes from the verb stryka, which in this context means to iron. So:

• stryka en skjorta = to iron a shirt
• en struken skjorta = an ironed shirt

Be aware that stryka can have other meanings in other contexts, so the exact meaning depends on what is being talked about.

Skjortan is the definite singular form of skjorta.

• en skjorta = a shirt
• skjortan = the shirt

The ending -an is the definite ending for this noun.

So in the sentence, skjortan is not just shirt but the shirt.

It can mean either, depending on how you translate it into English.

Hänger is the present tense of hänga. Swedish present tense often covers both:

• hangs
• is hanging

So this sentence could naturally be translated as either:

• The ironed shirt hangs on a hanger in the wardrobe
• The ironed shirt is hanging on a hanger in the wardrobe

Because Swedish usually does not need a separate progressive form the way English does.

English often distinguishes between:

• it hangs
• it is hanging

Swedish often just uses the plain present tense:

• den hänger

So hänger can already express what English might say with is hanging.

Because the prepositions describe different kinds of location.

• på en galge = on a hanger
• i garderoben = in the wardrobe/closet

Swedish uses på for something supported by or attached to a surface/object in this kind of expression. A shirt is understood as hanging on a hanger.

Swedish uses i for being inside something enclosed, like a wardrobe.

So the sentence describes the shirt as:

• hanging on a hanger
• located in the wardrobe

Galge means hanger or clothes hanger.

It is an en-word:

• en galge = a hanger
• galgen = the hanger
• galgar = hangers

So på en galge simply means on a hanger.

Because garderoben means the wardrobe / the closet, not just a wardrobe.

• i en garderob = in a wardrobe / in a closet
• i garderoben = in the wardrobe / in the closet

Using the definite form suggests a specific wardrobe is meant, often one already known from the situation.

Yes, but the original order is the most neutral.

The sentence starts with the subject:

• Den strukna skjortan = the ironed shirt

Then comes the verb:

• hänger

Then the location details:

• på en galge i garderoben

You could also front a place phrase for emphasis:

• I garderoben hänger den strukna skjortan på en galge.

That is still correct, but now i garderoben is being highlighted. Notice that Swedish keeps the verb in second position, so hänger still comes early.

The tricky part is the beginning skj-.

In standard Swedish, that sound is the sj-sound, which does not have an exact English equivalent. A rough beginner approximation is a soft sh-like sound.

A simple rough guide is:

• skjortan ≈ SHOR-tan, with the stress on the first syllable

That is only an approximation, but it is a useful starting point. The important thing for learners is that skj here is not pronounced like normal English sk.