Lesson goal
After the lesson, the student will be able to understand and build simple combinations of a noun with an adjective in the indefinite singular form: with words using en, ei and et. The student will learn to notice when the adjective stays unchanged and when it takes the ending -t.
Usage context
This topic is needed in very common situations: when we describe things, rooms, clothes, transport, weather, items in a shop, housing, and people around us. Typical situations: choosing a product, describing a house or room, saying that something is expensive or cheap, warm or cold, naming the color of an object.
New vocabulary
en stor bil — big car — combination with a noun of en gender, adjective without an ending
ei fin bok — beautiful book — with the ei form, the adjective also usually has no ending
et lite hus — small house — neuter form, here there is a special form liten → lite
rød — red — changes by gender: en rød bil, et rødt rom
grønn — green — in the neuter: grønt
blå — blue, light blue — the form often does not change: en blå bil, et blått hus
varm — warm — in the neuter: varmt
kald — cold — in the neuter: kaldt
dyr — expensive — in the neuter the form is usually: et dyrt hotell
billig — cheap — in the neuter: billig or, by the phrase pattern, it is better to memorize it as et billig hotell
Useful phrases
en rød bil — red car — to name the color of an object of en gender
ei grønn dør — green door — to describe an object of feminine gender
et kaldt rom — cold room — to describe a neuter room
en dyr jakke — expensive jacket — to talk about the price of an item
et billig hotell — cheap hotel — to describe housing or price
Grammar
In this lesson, only one pattern matters: the adjective before the noun in the indefinite singular form. The form of the adjective depends on the gender of the noun.
With nouns using en, the adjective usually stays in the base form: en stor bil, en rød bil.
With nouns using ei, the adjective also usually stays in the base form: ei fin bok, ei grønn dør.
With nouns using et, the adjective often takes the ending -t: et kaldt rom, et grønt eple.
Not all adjectives change in the same way. Some forms need to be memorized separately: liten → lite, rød → rødt, blå → blått.
The main task at A1 level is to first determine the gender of the noun: en, ei or et. Only then choose the adjective form.
Do not add -t after en and ei: correct is en kald bil, ei fin bok, but et kaldt rom.
Examples with explanation
Det er en stor bil. — This is a big car. The word bil has en gender, so the adjective stor has no ending.
Jeg har ei fin bok. — I have a beautiful book. The word bok here uses the ei form, and the adjective stays in the base form: fin.
Vi bor i et lite hus. — We live in a small house. The word hus is neuter, so it is not liten but the special form lite.
Hun har en rød bil. — She has a red car. With a noun using en, the form rød is used, without -t.
Det er ei grønn dør. — This is a green door. The word dør here uses the ei form, so the adjective stays in the base form grønn.
Hotellet har et kaldt rom. — The hotel has a cold room. The word rom is neuter, so kald changes to kaldt.
Typical mistakes
en rødt bil → en rød bil — the ending -t is not needed with a noun of en gender
ei grønt dør → ei grønn dør — with ei, the base form of the adjective is needed
et kald rom → et kaldt rom — with neuter, -t is usually needed
et liten hus → et lite hus — the adjective liten has a special neuter form
en dyrt jakke → en dyr jakke — the form with -t is not used with en gender
et rød rom → et rødt rom — for rød in the neuter, the form is rødt
Mini-summary
en and ei: usually the base form of the adjective
et: often the adjective form with -t
First look at the gender of the noun, then choose the adjective form
Some forms need to be memorized separately: lite, rødt, blått