Breakdown of Linnet är ett mycket följsamt material.
vara
to be
ett
a, an (neuter)
mycket
much / very
materialet
the material
linnet
the linen
följsam
supple
Questions & Answers about Linnet är ett mycket följsamt material.
Why doesn't the suffix in följsamt double its m, since the a has a short vowel sound?
The suffix -sam (used to form adjectives like följsam, meaning "supple" or "compliant") is a common exception to Swedish spelling rules. Even though the a is pronounced as a short vowel, it is always spelled with a single m. To make it neuter, you simply add a t to get följsamt.
Why is the adjective följsamt in the neuter form here? Is it because it refers back to linnet?
It's actually because it is directly modifying ett material. In sentences structured like "X is a [adjective] Y", the adjective always agrees with the noun it sits right next to in the phrase. Since material is an ett word, följsam gets the neuter -t ending.
Does linnet mean "the linen" or "the tank top"?
It can mean both! Ett linne is the Swedish word for the fabric linen, but it is also the everyday word for a tank top or camisole. In this sentence, the context of it being described as a material makes it clear we are talking about the fabric.
Why does the root word linne have a double n?
In Swedish, a double consonant usually indicates that the vowel immediately preceding it is short. The double n in linne tells you to pronounce the i as a short, crisp vowel. When making it definite ("the linen"), you just add a -t because it's an ett word ending in a vowel, resulting in linnet.
Learn Linnet är ett mycket följsamt material and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free