sliten

Sliten is an adjective used in Swedish and Norwegian to describe wear, fatigue, or exhaustion. It can refer to objects that have become worn through use, such as clothing or equipment, as well as to people who feel tired after activity. The term conveys a sense of being worn down rather than newly maintained.

Etymology and usage: Sliten derives from the verb slita, meaning to wear or tear. In everyday language it is a common descriptor for both tangible wear (a sliten jacka, a worn jacket) and intangible tiredness (jag känner mig sliten, I feel worn-out). The word has cognates across the Scandinavian languages and reflects the same core idea of deterioration through use.

Grammar and forms: In Swedish, sliten behaves as a regular adjective and inflects for definiteness and gender. For example, one might say en sliten jacka (a worn jacket) and den slitna jackan (the worn jacket). It also appears in plural forms, such as slitna jackor. In Norwegian, sliten similarly describes worn or exhausted state and follows typical adjective inflection patterns in Bokmål and Nynorsk.

Usage notes: Sliten emphasizes condition resulting from wear rather than mere appearance. It can describe physical objects, clothing, or equipment as well as a person’s physical or mental state after activity or stress. The tone is generally neutral but can carry a sense of fatigue or long-term wear depending on context.

See also: slita, slitit, slitenhet, wear and tear. The term is related to broader discussions of material condition and fatigue in Scandinavian languages.