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Intermediate

Definite Adjective & Double Definiteness

den/det/de + adjective + definite noun

Use den/det/de before the adjective and -en/-et on the noun

Both the free article AND the suffix must appear — double definiteness.

📊 Double definiteness
Gender Free article Adj. ending Noun suffix Example
common sg. den -a -en / -n den stora bilen
neuter sg. det -a -et / -t det stora huset
plural de -a -na / -en / -a de stora bilarna
💬 Examples
den gamla bilen / det gamla huset
the old car / the old house
📝 den/det + adj-a + noun-en/et
de gamla bilarna
the old cars
📝 de + adj-a + noun plural definite
Names and unique nouns use adjective without den/det

After a proper name or when uniqueness is clear, den/det is dropped.

💬 Examples
gamla Stockholm / lilla Italien
old Stockholm / little Italy
📝 proper name: no den/det needed
hela världen / nästa vecka
the whole world / next week
📝 hela/nästa always without den/det
Adjective -t rule: neuter adds -t unless the adjective ends in -t or -d

Watch out: adjectives ending in -t, -d, or -ad do not simply add -t.

💬 Examples
ett nytt hus / ett trött barn
a new house / a tired child
📝 ny → nytt; trött → trött (already -t)
ett rött äpple / ett gammalt hus
a red apple / an old house
📝 röd → rött; gammal → gammalt