Learn Swedish: Jag är ett barn.

In Swedish, all nouns are divided into two categories: en words and ett words. The word barn belongs to the ett category, so we must use ett to say "a child". Since there are no strict rules for which category a noun falls into, you just have to memorize it!

This lesson is about verbs that end in -ar. Why doesn't är end in -ar?

The verb meaning "to be" is highly irregular in Swedish. Its present tense form is är, so it does not follow the regular Group 1 pattern you are learning. However, it still ends in an -r, which is the universal hint that a Swedish verb is in the present tense.

If I change the sentence to "she is a child", does the verb change?

No, it stays exactly the same! Unlike English, which switches between "am", "is", and "are", Swedish verbs never change to match the subject. You will use är for I, you, he, she, we, and they.

How do you pronounce the end of the word barn?

In most Swedish dialects, when the letters r and n are next to each other, they merge into one combined sound. You do not roll the r and then say n. Instead, you curl the tip of your tongue slightly further back in your mouth to make a single, thicker "rn" sound.