VERB - VERB

Verbs tell something about an action ( what is going on or what someone is doing ) or about
a state. Example:

● Det snöar. - It’s snowing.

● Daniel springer. - Daniel runs.
● Sara är trött. - Sara is tired.

Swedish verbs are not inflected according to person but only according to tense. They can
form four different forms: infinitive ( basic form ), presens ( present tense ), preteritum
( past tense ) and supinum ( supine Jag har / I have ).
With the help of these forms we mark if something is happening now ( presens ), if it
happened before ( preteritum/perfect ) or if it is going to happen in the future ( futurum ).

Note: Presens are also used to talk about something that is going to happen in the future
and also about something that happens often. Example:

● Jag åker buss till Malmö nu. - I’m going by bus to Malmö now.
● Jag åker buss till Malmö varje vecka. - I go by bus to Malmö every week.
● Jag åker buss till Malmö i morgon. - I’m going by bus to Malmö tomorrow

INFLECTIONS OF VERBS

There are four different groups of verbs in Swedish. Group 1, 2 and 3 are regular verbs and
group 4 are irregular and strong verbs.

GROUP 1

The majority of the Swedish verbs belong to this group. All of these verbs end with -ar in
presens and -ade in preteritum.

Meaning Infinitive Presens Preteritum Supinum

- -r -de -t

Look Titta Tittar Tittade Tittat

Talk Prata Pratar Pratade Pratat

Answer Svara Svarar Svarade Svarat

( To ) Clean Städa Städar Städade Städat

Bathe Bada Badar Badade Badat

Question Fråga Frågar Frågade Frågat

Begin Börja Börjar Började Börjat

 Stop/End Sluta Slutar Slutade Slutat

Speak Tala Talar Talade Talat

Work Arbeta Arbetar Arbetade Arbetat

( To ) park Parkera Parkerar Parkerade Parkerat

Pay Betala Betalar Betalade Betalat

GROUP 2

These verbs end with -r/ -er in presens and -de/ -te in preteritum. Note that the words that
end with -te in preteritum are words that end with the following letters k, p, t, s or x.

Meaning Infinitive Presens Preteritum Supinum

To - -r / -er -de / -te -t

Drive Köra Kör Körde Kört

Close Stänga Stänger Stängde Stängt

Call Ringa Ringer Ringde Ringt

Search Söka Söker Sökte Sökt

Read Läsa Läser Läste Läst

Hear Höra Hör Hörde Hört

Hire Hyra Hyr Hyrde Hyrt

Need Behöva Behöver Behövde Behövt

Put Ställa Ställer Ställde Ställt

Feel Känna Känner Kände Känt

Happen Hända Händer Hände Hänt

Use Använda Använder Använde Använt

Buy Köpa Köper Köpte Köpt

GROUP 3

Group 3 are often called short verbs since it is about verbs that only have one-syllable or a
verb originating from a one-syllable verb. These verbs also end with -r in presens.
However, they do have a long vowel in the stem, but a short vowel in preteritum and
supinum. Therefore they’ll get the ending - dde in perteritum and -tt in supinum.
 Meaning Infinitive Presens Preteritum Supinum

To - -r -dde -tt

Reside Bo Bor Bodde Bott

Feel Må Mår Mådde Mått

Reach Nå Når Nådde Nått

Escape Fly Flyr Flydde Flytt

Depend Bero Beror Berodde Berott

Row Ro Ror Rodde Rott

Happen Ske Sker Skedde Skett

Sew Sy Syr Sydde Sytt

Vomit Spy Spyr Spydde Spytt

To dress Klä Klär Klädde Klätt

someone

Stare Glo Glor Glodde Glott

GROUP 4

Group 4 is split into two groups: Strong and irregular verbs.

Irregular verbs do not follow a regular pattern and therefore you have to learn their form of
inflection by heart.
Strong verbs are verbs that change vowels - they follow a regular pattern, but still change
vowels in the different forms.
Example of a few common strong and irregular verbs:

Meaning Infinitive Presens Preteritum Supinum

Drink Dricka Dricker Drack Druckit

Get Få Får Fick Fått

Understand Förstå Förstår Förstod Förstått

Give Ge Ger Gav Givit(Gett)

Go Gå Går Gick Gått

Do Göra Gör Gjorde Gjort

Have Ha Har Hade Haft

 Have time Hinna Hinner Hann Hunnit

Come Komma Kommer Kom Kommit

Be able to Kunna Kan Kunde Kunnat

See Se Ser Såg Sett

Be about to/will Ska Ska Skulle Skolat

Write Skriva Skriver Skrev Skrivit

Say Säga Säger Sa Sagt

Be Vara Är Var Varit

Know Veta Vet Visste Vetat

Will Vilja Vill Ville Velat

Eat Äta Äter Åt Ätit

TYCKA, TÄNKA, TRO

In Swedish we separate the verbs tycka ( think ), tycka om ( like ), tänka ( think ) and tro
( think ), which can be a bit difficult if you compare it with the English word “think”. In any
case, it is important not to confuse these different verbs.

Tycka: to have an opinion.

● Jag tycker att vi måste sortera sopor. - I think we need to sort the garbage.
● Jag tycker att filmen var bra. - I think the movie was good.

Tycka om: to like something or someone.

● Jag tycker om Thaimat. - I like Thai food.

● Jag tycker om att spela basket. - I like playing basketball.

Tänka: to plan or to think.

● Jag tänker åka till Paris nästa år. - I’m thinking about going to Paris next year.
● Erik saknar sin fru och tänker på henne hela tiden. - Erik is missing his wife and he is
thinking about her a lot.

Tro: when you’re not sure or if you have any religious beliefs.

● Jag tror att det ska regna i morgon. - I think it is going to rain tomorrow.
● Jag tror på Gud. - I believe in God.

PASSIVE FORM
Swedish verbs can make both passive and active sentences. An active sentence describes
a subject performing an action. Passive sentences describe the subject who is exposed to or
are affected by the action ( often by omitting the person performing the action ).

AS - Active sentence, we have a subject.

PS - Passive sentence, we do not have a subject.

● AS: Gruppen valde Erik till ordförande. - The group elected Erik as chairman.
● PS: Erik valdes till ordförande. - Erik was elected chairman.

● AS: Han ska renovera lägenheten. - He is going to renovate the apartment.

● PS: Lägenheten ska renoveras. - The apartment is going to be renovated.

● AS: En kvinna öppnar dörren för mig. - A woman opens the door for me.
● PS: Dörren öppnas för mig. - The door opens for me.

A common way to build a passive sentence is to use the s-form. In other tenses the s-form
is built by adding the letter -s at the end of the main verb.

● gav > gavs

● valde > valdes
● ska renovera > ska renoveras
● har skrivit > har skrivits

Be careful when you build passive sentences in presens. Then you add the s-form
according to the following rules:

Verb group 1: infinitive + s ( betala > betalas; städa > städas. )

Verb group 2, 3, and 4: verb stem + s ( stänga > stängs; göra > görs; skriva > skrivs. )
Verb group that ends with an -s: verb stem + es ( läsa > läses; låsa > låses. )

If you want to include the subject in the passive sentence you can include it as an agent with
the help of the preposition “av”.

● Erik valdes till ordförande av gruppen. - Erik was elected chairman by the group.
● Lägenheten ska renoveras av honom. - The apartment is going to be renovated by
him.
● Dörren öppnades för mig av en kvinna. - The door was opened for me by a woman.

Note: There are verbs that always has the s-form without any passive function: hoppas,
träffas, minnas, trivas and finnas.

AUXILIARY VERB

A sentence must always contain at least one verb, usually there are several verbs in one
sentence. Most verbs are a main verb ( a verb that can stand alone in the sentence. )
Example:
 ● Jag åker till Malmö om ett par dagar. - I will be going to Malmö in a couple of days.
● Peter kör bil till skolan. - Peter drives a car to school.
● Anne bodde nära Gustav Adolfs torg förut. - Anne used to live near Gustav Adolfs
torg (before).
● Han talar svenska men inte engelska. - He speaks Swedish but not English.

If there are several verbs then it’s only the auxiliary verb ( first verb ) that marks time/tumpus.
An auxiliary verb is a verb that helps the main verb to indicate tempus and the speaker's
attitude towards the topic.
The auxiliary verb is always followed by the main verb in infinitive.

● Jag måste åka till Malmö om ett par dagar. - I have to go to Malmö in a couple of
days.
● Peter brukar köra bil till skolan. - Peter usually drives a car to school.
● Anne ville bo nära Gustav Adolfs torg förut. - Anne wanted to live near Gustav
Adolfs torg before.
● Han kan tala svenska men inte engelska. - He can speak Swedish but not English.

Note: we don’t use “att” after the auxiliary verb. If there are several main verbs that belong
together with the auxiliary verb then all main verbs will be in infinitive.
Example:

● Vi vill sjunga, dansa och skratta! - We want to sing, dance and laugh!
● På söndagar brukar jag handla mat och städa hemma. - On Sundays I usually go
grocery shopping and clean at home.

COMMON AUXILIARY VERBS IN PRESENS AND PRETERITUM

Here is a list with the most common auxiliary verbs in presens and preteritum.

Meaning Presens Preteritum

Will Ska Skulle

Can Kan Kunde

Should Bör Borde

Must Måste Måste/Vara tvungen att

Get Får Fick

Want Vill Ville

Need Behöver Behövde

Usually Brukar Brukade

Have time Hinner Hann

 Begin Börjar Började

End Slutar Slutade

Note: Some of these auxiliary verbs can also work as a main verb, få ( get ), behöva ( need )

● Jag fick många presenter när jag fyllde år. - I got a lot of presents on my birthday.
● Jag behöver verkligen en ny regnjacka. - I really need a new raincoat.

FUTURUM

To speak about things that are happening in the future we use futurum. In Swedish you
can express futurum in several different ways.

● Presens + futurum
● Ska ( Will ) + infinitive
● Tänker ( Thinking ) + infinitive
● Kommer att ( Going to ) + infinitive

PRESENS + FUTURUM

A common way to express futurum is to use presens + futurum ( imorgon - tomorrow, ikväll
- tonight, nästa vecka - next week, om två år - in two years etc ). Example:

● Jag går på bio imorgon. - I am going to the movies tomorrow.

● Vi ringer dig ikväll. - We will call you tonight.
● De åker till Stockholm nästa vecka. - They are going to Stockholm next week.
● Jag är klar med min utbildning om två år. - I am finished with my education in two
years.

SKA ( WILL ) + INFINITIVE

Ska ( Will ) + infinitive is used when you are deciding to do something ( someone's will
affects what is going to happen and he/she is deciding ). Example:

● Jag ska gå på bio imorgon. - I will be going to the movies tomorrow.

● Vi ska ringa dig ikväll. - We will call you tonight.
● De ska åka till Stockholm ( nästa vecka ). - They will be going to Stockholm next
week.
● Jag ska vara klar med min utbildning ( om två år ). - I will be finished with my
education ( in two years ).

Note: Here you can use words in futurum ( imorgon - tomorrow, ikväll - tonight, nästa vecka
- next week, om två år - in two years etc. ) if you want to explain when you are going to so
something, but you can also use these sentences without any words in futurum.

TÄNKER + INFINITIVE
Tänker ( Plan ) + infinitive is used when you will or are planning to do something ( the
thought is to do something, but something else might happen). Example:

● Jag tänker gå på bio ( imorgon ). - I plan to go to the movies ( tomorrow ).

● Vi tänker ringa dig ( ikväll ). - We plan to call you ( tonight )
● De tänker åka till Stockholm ( nästa vecka ). -They are planning to go to Stockholm
( next week ).
● Jag tänker vara klar med min utbildning ( om två år ). - I plan to be finished with
my education ( in two years ).

KOMMER ATT ( GOING TO ) + INFINITIVE

Another way to express futurum is to use “kommer att” ( going to ) + infinitive. In this case it
is usually about forecasts and predictions about the future. This form is therefore used when
we talk about events that we can’t plan or decide upon ( I don’t decide, but it is very likely
that it is going to happen - that’s just the way that is it ).
Example:

● Det kommer att regna imorgon. - It is going to rain tomorrow

● Det kommer att snöa i vinter. - It is going to snow this winter.
● I framtiden kommer robotar att köra bil. - In the future robots are going to drive
cars.
● Jag kommer att sakna att spela fotboll. - I am going to miss playing soccer.

IN SUMMARY…

It is not that big of a difference if you use one form or the other, but there are some
differences. Compare these sentences:

● Jag kommer försent imorgon.

- This is just the way that it is… I’m just telling you.

● Jag ska komma försent imorgon.

- Here I have decided to… I will

● Jag tänker komma försent imorgon.

- Here I want to or are planning to do it… but something else might happen.

● Jag kommer att komma försent imorgon.

- I can’t really decide… I might have a doctor’s appointment and therefore I’m
going to be late