# Swedish: decension of adjectives that end in long vowel



## gvergara

Hi

I sincerely apologise if this topic has already been discussed, but I don't know how to decline adjectives that end in long vowel, such as _blå, _or others that end in _a, such as _rosa, _are these invariable? It'd be really strange o say _Igår köpte jag det bl*åa*/ ros*aa* bordet_. Thanks in advance

Gonzalo


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## cocuyo

When the vowel is a, it certainly wouldn't be doubled, but it is not uncommon to hear "blåa", although "blå" without the added -a might be considered more correct. Nevertheless, both forms are used, at least in speech. Hence: _Igår köpte jag det blå bordet. _But colloquially one might say: _Igår köpte jag det blåa bordet. _


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## Renaissance man

I don't think it's uncommon at all to hear "blåa". I suspect colours play in a separate league here, as other adjectives ending in long vowels, such as _rå, _can only function with an _-a _ending in definite form/plural.


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## Tjahzi

When an adjective ends in _-a_ it's simply indeclinable, may the final _-a  _be long (as in the case of _bra _[brɑː]) or short (as in the case of _rosa_ ['roːsa]). As such, these forms are used in all positive forms. _Ett rosa bord, en rosa stol, de rosa stolarna/borden _and so on. 

However, if the adjective ends in a vowel other than -_a_, it functions as a normal adjective. That is, it takes _-a_ in all definite forms as well as indefinite plural_. _
That said, as has been pointed out, _blå_ could be considered an exception here since it has traditionally been conjugated without the _-a_. However, it's my impression that the majority of speaker tend to conjugate theses according to these rules, especially when speaking and hence it seems to be only a matter of time until even these exceptions (out of an already rather small number of words) will soon be absorbed into the main group.


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## cocuyo

Of course Tjahzi is correct. I got a bit confused as the first adjective presented happened to be the exception of the rule. There is a very common saying here, I don't know where it came from: "Vem har skitit i det blå skåpet?" (or "någon har skitit i det blå skåpet") 

There was also a popular TV series where a blue Opel was always mentioned "den blåa Opeln". 

So as a rule there are few exceptions, the only two that may take both forms, which I can readily remember are _blå_ and _grå_, but they may also be used with the _-a_ suffix. The plural of _liten_, _små_, as well as the adjective _få_ (few), will never have the _-a_ declension. The vowel _å_ formerly was written already with a doubled as _aa_, which might explain why it would not get an _-a_ suffix.


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## Tjahzi

Indeed.

I'd just like to add that the above rules do of course just apply to "root form" of adjectives ending in a long vowel and not to irregular forms such as _små_. (For the record, _liten_ goes: _liten/litet/små-lilla/lilla/små_. (Isn't the connection to _small/little_ quite interesting!?))

Also, _få _is indeed an irregular and interesting form as well. However, I suspect the fact that it's by definition always plural (whose definite and indefinite forms are identical) has led to it being grammaticalized at an early stage.


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## cocuyo

It might also be noticed that particularly in some dialects, the masculine suffix _-e_ is often used instead of the feminine/common _-a_ when the noun is (or has been) masculine.


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## Lugubert

cocuyo said:


> It might also be noticed that particularly in some dialects, the masculine suffix _-e_ is often used instead of the feminine/common _-a_ when the noun is (or has been) masculine.


Indeed. Göteborg:

(f) Den lella röa (Den lilla röda, The little red one): GT, The evening paper that used to have a light red first & last page. Now only the GT logo is red.).

(m) Den röe vangen (Den röda vagnen, The red carriage = tram No. 5).


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## Tjahzi

It should also be noted that this trait is only fully present in certain chronolects.


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## cocuyo

Maybe it is becoming archaic, but nevertheless, it is prevalent in certain combinations, as when Snoopy the beagle is hunting the Red Baron (röde baronen), or in the king's moniker Erik Röde. In Stockholm, it is still alive and kicking, but maybe it is chronolect. Time will show.


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