ett

Ett is the neuter singular form of the Swedish numeral for "one" and also functions as the indefinite article before neuter nouns. It is used with neuter nouns such as ett hus (a house) or ett äpple (an apple). For common gender nouns, the indefinite article is en, as in en bil (a car). In this sense, ett marks both quantity and the grammatical gender of the noun that follows.

As a cardinal number, ett denotes the quantity one in contexts that require a neuter noun. It does not vary with case, number, or definiteness beyond its agreement with the noun's gender. In numeral expressions or counting, ett remains the base form for the neuter singular.

Etymology traces ett to Old Norse eitt, the neuter form of the word for "one." It is cognate with Danish et and Norwegian ett or et, reflecting shared roots in the Proto-Germanic language family. The form and gender distinctions in Swedish align with the broader Scandinavian pattern of en/en-words for common gender and ett for neuter.

In modern Swedish, ett is primarily a numeral and an indefinite article for neuter nouns. Its use contrasts with en, which precedes common gender nouns. The word has parallel forms in neighboring languages, illustrating historical linguistic connections across the region.