ABSTRACT

A FORM AND ORDER 201 Introduction to forms and use 202 The basic rule 203 Variations-neuter form 204 Variations-plural and definite form 205 Variations-liten and gammal 206 Indeclinable adjectives 207 The order of adjective attributes

B THE INDEFINITE DECLENSION 208 The use of the indefinite form 209 The double subject 210 The complement precedes the subject 211 Constructions according to meaning 212 Words indicating measurement or degree 213 Ärter är gott; engelska är tråkigt 214 Cases of attraction 215 The independent adjective 216 Indefinite use of adjectives: summary

C THE DEFINITE DECLENSION 217 Introduction 218 Compulsory ending in -a 219 Compulsory ending in -e 220 Variations between -e and -a with masculines 221 The use of the definite declension-introduction 222 Front article and end article (double definition) 223 No end article after certain words 224 No front article but an end article 225 Neither a front article nor an end article 226 The definite use of adjectives: summary

D ADJECTIVAL NOUNS 227 Introduction 228 The forms and use of the adjectival noun

A FORM AND ORDER

201 Introduction to forms and use

Adjectives are inflected in Swedish. Adjectives, both attributive and predicative, change form according to the gender and number (and in a few cases the form) of the noun or pronoun with which they agree. The indefinite forms of the adjective are used both attributively and predicatively, while the definite forms are only used attributively:

229 Nationality words 230 Complete nominalisation 231 Intermediate forms

E COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES 232 Introduction 233 Comparison with the endings -are, -ast 234 Comparison with the endings -re, -st plus modification of the root vowel 235 Irregular comparison 236 Comparison with mer(a), mest 237 Comparison of compound adjectives 238 Adjectives deficient in the positive. positive and comparative, or superlative 239 Adjectives which do not compare 240 The comparative is indeclinable 241 Inflexion of the superlative 242 Similarity, dissimilarity and reinforcement 243 The absolute comparative 244 The absolute superlative 245 Adjectives-use of the positive, comparative and superlative: summary

Indefinite Definite Attributive en ung flicka

a young girl den unga flickan the young girl

unga flickor young girls

de unga flickorna the young girls

ett stort hus a big house

det stora huset the big house

stora hus big houses

de stora husen the big houses

en industrialiserad värld an industrialised world

den industrialiserade världen the industrialised world

(a) Notice that the definite declension of the adjective usually employs the front (or adjectival) article den, det, de. (See 222ff.)

(b) In the definite declension the adjective has two forms, one ending in -a, one ending in -e. (See 217ff.)

(c) After copular verbs like vara, bli, heta, verka, the adjective comprises a predicative complement (see 1006) and is inflected according to the subject or object to which it refers (see 208).