Questions & Answers about Är huset låst nu?
Why does the word for locked, låst, end in a -t here? Is it because hus is an ett-word?
Yes, but with a catch! Låst is a past participle acting as an adjective to describe huset. Normally, adjectives describing ett-words get an extra -t at the end. However, because the base participle form låst already ends in a t, it doesn't get another one. The en-word and ett-word forms are identical for this verb, so you would also say dörren är låst (the door is locked).
Is låst a verb or an adjective in this sentence?
It is functioning as an adjective! While it comes from the verb att låsa (to lock), putting it after är (is) describes the current state of the house, not an action happening right now. When a past participle is used this way, it is called a predicative adjective.
How do I know if låst is the adjective form or the supine form used for the perfect tense?
They happen to look exactly the same for this verb, but the clue is the helper word. Because this sentence uses är (is), låst is an adjective describing a state. If the sentence used har (has/have), like in vem har låst huset? (who has locked the house?), then it would be the supine verb form describing an action.
Why does the sentence start with är instead of huset?