böckerna

Böckerna is the definite plural form of the Swedish noun bok, meaning the books. It refers to a specific set of books that are known to the speaker and listener, as opposed to böcker, which denotes books in general or an indefinite plural. The definite plural form is created by adding the suffix -na to the plural böcker, yielding böckerna.

The word böcker derives from the Old Norse bók, with the modern Swedish form developed through historical sound changes in the language. In Swedish grammar, nouns of the en-words class form their plural with -er or -ar, and the definite plural suffix -na is then appended to the plural form, as in böcker → böckerna.

Usage examples illustrate its meaning in context: Jag läser böckerna varje kväll. Böckerna i bokhyllan är äldre än jag först trodde. In these sentences, böckerna specifies particular books that both speaker and listener recognize.

Böckerna can appear in various constructions with adjectives and other modifiers, such as “många böckerna” or “nya böckerna,” though the definite form itself indicates a known, specific group of books. It is commonly used in everyday Swedish when referring to books that have been previously identified in conversation, in writing, or within a shared context, such as a library, a shelf, or a syllabus.

In summary, böckerna is the definite plural form of bok, used to denote a particular set of books, formed by adding -na to the plural böcker. It plays a central role in Swedish noun phrases when specificity is implied.