Questions & Answers about Barnet är här.
Why is "the" added to the end of the word in barnet?
In Swedish, the word for "the" isn't a separate word that comes before the noun like it does in English. Instead, it attaches to the end of the noun as a suffix. Since the word for "a child" is ett barn, we add -et to the end to make barnet (the child).
How do I know whether to use -en or -et at the end of a word to mean "the"?
It depends on whether the noun is an en-word or an ett-word. Nouns that use en for "a" (like en katt for "a cat") take -en or -n to mean "the" (katten). Because barn is an ett-word (ett barn), it takes -et or -t to become barnet. You just need to memorize which group a noun belongs to when you learn it.
Would the verb är change if I said "I am here" instead of "the child is here"?
Nope! One of the best things about Swedish verbs is that they never change based on the subject. "I am" is jag är, "you are" is du är, and "the child is" is barnet är. The verb is always är in the present tense, no matter who or what is doing the action.
Is there an easy way to remember här?
Yes! Här sounds quite similar to its English translation, "here". Even better, the Swedish word for "there" is där, which sounds like "there". They are very helpful pairs for English speakers to memorize together.
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