bestämd

Bestämd is a term used in Swedish grammar to refer to the definite form of nouns and adjectives. It marks that the referent is known to the speaker and listener, is unique, or has been previously mentioned. The opposite term is obestämd, or indefinite. In Swedish, definiteness can be shown either by suffixing the noun or, in many cases, by using a determiner such as den, det, or de in front of the noun. The exact form depends on gender, number, and whether the noun is singular or plural.

Most Swedish nouns form a definite singular by adding a suffix to the noun. Common gender nouns typically take -en or -n (bil → bilen), while neuter nouns take -et or -t (hus → huset). In plural, the definite form is usually produced with -na or -en, as in böckerna (the books) and husen (the houses). Some nouns use alternate patterns or rely on determiner-based definiteness rather than suffixes alone. In practice, speakers often combine noun suffixes with determiners for emphasis or clarity.

Adjectives agree with the noun in number and gender, and display a characteristic pattern in definite phrases. In definite noun phrases, adjectives commonly take a weak inflection with an -a ending: den blåa bilen (the blue car), de blåa bilarna (the blue cars). In indefinite phrases, adjectives appear in their base form: en blå bil, ett blått hus. The definite form thus signals not only specificity but also interacts with adjective inflection in everyday Swedish, shaping the sound and structure of noun phrases.