Neuter adjectives ending in -en (-et)

Adjectives Ending in -en

When describing an ett-word (a neuter noun), you usually add a -t to the end of the adjective. However, when an adjective naturally ends in an unstressed -en, you drop the -en and replace it with -et.

En-wordEtt-wordEnglish
öppenöppetopen
spruckensprucketcracked
mulenmuletcloudy
frusenfrusetfrozen

Here are some of these adjectives in action describing ett-words:

The window is open, but the glass is cracked.
Fönstret är öppet, men glaset är sprucket.
Today the weather is cloudy.
Idag är vädret mulet.
He said that the water was frozen.
Han sa att vattnet var fruset.

Before the Noun and After the Verb

Just like standard adjectives, use this -et form both when the adjective comes directly before a neuter noun and when it describes the noun later in the sentence.

Many adjectives describing states, physical conditions, and emotions follow this pattern:

My eye is swollen and it hurts.
Mitt öga är svullet och det gör ont.
A cracked glass stood on the table.
Ett sprucket glas stod på bordet.
The child gave an angry answer.
Barnet gav ett ilsket svar.
A bare tree stands in front of the house.
Ett naket träd står framför huset.
Why does the child look so sad?
Varför ser barnet så sorgset ut?

Contributors