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En eller ett?

en/ett apelsin

ett-word

Apelsin (meaning "orange") is a neuter noun in Swedish - it takes the article en or ett depending on meaning. Definite singular: apelsinen. Indefinite plural: apelsiner. Definite plural: apelsinerna.

Indefinite en eller ett apelsin
Definite apelsinen
Plural apelsiner
Plural def. apelsinerna

Example sentences

1

Hon äter en eller ett apelsin.

indefinite singular

2

Hon äter apelsinen.

definite singular

3

Träd bär apelsiner.

plural

Why is apelsin an ett-word?

Plants and trees are almost always en-words

This is one of 30 rules of thumb in Artikulera for predicting Swedish grammatical gender. The rule isn't absolute, but it holds for the vast majority of nouns that match the pattern.

Rare exceptions exist, but this rule correctly predicts the gender of most Swedish nouns that match the pattern.

Same rule - also ett-words

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Frequently asked questions

Is apelsin en or ett in Swedish?
Apelsin (meaning "orange") is an ett-word in Swedish. Indefinite: en eller ett apelsin. Definite: apelsinen. Plural: apelsiner. Definite plural: apelsinerna.
What is the definite form of apelsin?
The definite singular of apelsin is apelsinen. Ett-words take the suffix ‑et in the definite singular. The definite plural is apelsinerna.
What is the plural of apelsin in Swedish?
The indefinite plural of apelsin is apelsiner. The definite plural is apelsinerna.
Why is apelsin an ett-word?
Plants and trees are almost always en-words. Apelsin follows this pattern.