Questions & Answers about Köttet är rått och fräscht.
Why does the adjective rått have a double 't' here?
The base form of the adjective is rå (raw), which ends in a stressed vowel. Because it describes köttet, which is an ett word (neuter), it needs a neuter ending. The rule in Swedish is that when an adjective ends in a stressed vowel, you add a double -tt in the neuter form.
Why does fräscht only get a single -t while rått gets a double -tt?
The base word is fräsch, which ends in a consonant. For most adjectives that end in a consonant, you simply add a single -t to match an ett word. The double -tt is specifically for adjectives ending in a stressed vowel, like rå.
Wait, shouldn't the adjectives end in -a because köttet is definite (the meat)?
No, because they come after the verb är (is). When adjectives follow the verb to describe the noun, they match the noun's gender and number (using -t for ett words) but they never take the definite -a ending. You only use the -a ending when the adjective comes directly before a definite noun, like in det råa köttet (the raw meat).
Could I use färskt instead of fräscht to say the meat is fresh?
They have slightly different meanings! Färsk means fresh in the sense of newly produced or harvested (like fresh bread or fresh fish). Fräsch means fresh in the sense of clean, crisp, or unspoiled. Saying the meat is fräscht just means it looks and smells good and safe to eat.
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