Breakdown of Det var kul på semestern.
vara
to be
det
it (neuter)
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
semestern
the vacation
Questions & Answers about Det var kul på semestern.
Wait, what verb does var come from?
var is the simple past tense meaning "was" or "were". It comes from the verb vara (to be). You are probably very used to seeing its present tense form from earlier lessons: är (is/am/are).
Does semestern mean a school semester?
No, this is a classic "false friend"! In Swedish, en semester means a holiday or vacation, usually from work. If you want to talk about a school term or semester, you use the word en termin.
Why does the word end with -n in semestern?
Adding -n to the end of en semester turns it into the definite form, meaning "the vacation". Even though English speakers might just say "vacation was fun", Swedish prefers the definite form here because you are referring to a specific, known trip you just took.
Does the adjective kul (fun) change forms depending on the noun?
No, kul is a fantastic adjective for beginners because it is invariable, meaning it never changes its form! Whether you are describing an "en" word, an "ett" word, or plural nouns, it always stays exactly the same: kul.