💭 Feelings & Ideas

En eller ett?

ett liv

ett-word

Liv (meaning "life") is a neuter noun in Swedish - it takes the article ett. Definite singular: livet. Indefinite plural: liv. Definite plural: liven.

Liv has multiple meanings in Swedish. The forms and examples on this page apply to the meaning “life”.
Indefinite ett liv
Definite livet
Plural liv
Plural def. liven

Example sentences

1

Han har ett liv.

indefinite singular

2

Han lever livet.

definite singular

3

Katter har nio liv.

plural

Why is liv an ett-word?

No simple rule - this one must be memorized

Not every Swedish noun follows a suffix or semantic pattern. Artikulera's spaced repetition system helps you drill words like this one until the gender feels automatic.

Artikulera teaches 30 rules of thumb that cover most Swedish nouns. For nouns like this one, regular practice is the most reliable path to fluency.

More - also ett-words

Artikulera icon

Practice liv in Artikulera

Train en/ett with spaced repetition, 30 rules of thumb, and 4,500+ nouns. Free to download.

Free · iPhone & iPad · iOS 17.6+

Frequently asked questions

Is liv en or ett in Swedish?
Liv (meaning "life") is an ett-word in Swedish. Indefinite: ett liv. Definite: livet. Plural: liv. Definite plural: liven.
What is the definite form of liv?
The definite singular of liv is livet. Ett-words take the suffix ‑et in the definite singular. The definite plural is liven.
What is the plural of liv in Swedish?
The indefinite plural of liv is liv. The definite plural is liven.
Why is liv an ett-word?
Liv doesn't follow a simple suffix or semantic rule - its gender must be memorized.