Word
Det gamla bordet är i bra skick.
Meaning
The old table is in good condition.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Questions & Answers about Det gamla bordet är i bra skick.
Why does the adjective become gamla instead of just adding an -a to make gammala?
The root word is gammal (old). When an adjective ends in an unstressed syllable like -al, -el, -er, or -en, it usually drops that final vowel when adding the -a for definite or plural forms. So, gammal drops its second 'a'. It also drops one 'm' to become gamla, which makes it much easier to pronounce!
We have det (the) and bordet (the table). Why does the adjective also need a definite ending?
This is a great time to review the Swedish double definite rule. When you describe a specific noun with an adjective, you need three pieces: the freestanding article (det), the adjective ending in -a (gamla), and the definite suffix on the noun itself (bordet).
Since skick is an ett-word, shouldn't the adjective be brat instead of bra?
Normally, adjectives take a -t ending when describing an ett-word. However, bra (good) is a very common exception. It never changes its form. It stays bra for en-words, ett-words, and plurals.
Can I use i bra skick to say a person is in good condition?