Lösenordet skyddar kontot.

Here, -et marks the noun as definite singular.

• ett lösenord = a password
• lösenordet = the password

So lösenordet is singular, not plural.

Because konto is an ett noun, and many ett nouns that end in an unstressed vowel form the definite singular by adding just -t.

• ett konto = an account
• kontot = the account

So kontoet is not the normal form.

The basic forms are:

• ett lösenord = noun, indefinite singular
• att skydda = verb, infinitive
• ett konto = noun, indefinite singular

This is how you would normally learn them in a vocabulary list.

Skyddar is the present tense of att skydda.

• att skydda = to protect
• skyddar = protects / is protecting

In Swedish, the present tense very often ends in -r.

No. Swedish verbs do not change for person in the present tense.

You say:

• jag skyddar
• du skyddar
• han/hon skyddar
• vi skyddar
• de skyddar

So skyddar stays the same.

Lösenordet is the subject and kontot is the object.

That means:

• lösenordet is the thing doing the action
• kontot is the thing receiving the action

So the structure is:

• Lösenordet = subject
• skyddar = verb
• kontot = object

Yes, in this sentence it is. The pattern is:

subject + verb + object

So Lösenordet skyddar kontot follows a very familiar order for English speakers.

Yes, but then the meaning changes.

• Lösenordet skyddar kontot = the password protects the account
• Kontot skyddar lösenordet = the account protects the password

So in a simple sentence like this, word order matters a lot.

Because Swedish usually writes compound nouns as one word.

So lösenord is a compound noun, not two separate words. This is very common in Swedish. English often uses two words where Swedish uses one compound.

You usually need to learn the gender together with the noun:

• ett lösenord
• ett konto

A useful rule for compounds is that the last part usually decides the gender. Since ord is an ett word, lösenord is also an ett word.

For konto, the safest approach is simply to memorize ett konto.

A few important pronunciation points:

• ö in lösenordet has no exact English equivalent. It is somewhat similar to the vowel in British bird, but without the r sound.
• sk in skyddar is not pronounced like normal English sk here. Before y, it becomes the Swedish sj sound.
• y in skyddar also has no exact English equivalent. A good trick is to say ee while rounding your lips.

Also, the main stress falls near the beginning of both words.