Grammar

en and ett

genus (utrum, neutrum) · gender

Every noun is an en-word or an ett-word. Most nouns are en-words. You can't see which from the word, so learn en or ett together with it.

On this site, ett-words are in italics.

• en kopp kaffea cup of coffee
• ett glas vattena glass of water

the: at the end of the word

bestämd form · definite form

Swedish has no separate word for the. It goes at the end of the noun: -en or -n for en-words, -et or -t for ett-words.

• Koppen är varm.The cup is hot.
• Glaset är tomt.The glass is empty.

Now: verbs end in -r

presens · present tense

In the present, every verb ends in -r. It's the same for everyone: jag, du, hon, vi, de.

English only adds -s after he, she, it. Swedish always adds -r.

• Jag dricker kaffe.I drink coffee.
• Hon dricker te.She drinks tea.
• Vi bor i Malmö.We live in Malmö.

Not every word: The help verbs have no -r: Jag kan simma. Hon vill ha te. And three common verbs are short: är, har, gör.

Related: Help verbs + the basic form · The past: -ar verbs get -ade

Questions: the verb first

ja- och nej-frågor · yes/no questions

To ask a yes/no question, put the verb first, then the person. There is no do like in English.

• Dricker du kaffe?Do you drink coffee?
• Bor hon i Malmö?Does she live in Malmö?

Help verbs + the basic form

hjälpverb + infinitiv · modal verb + infinitive

After a help verb (vill, kan, ska, kommer), the next verb is in the basic form. Most basic forms end in -a.

skulle vilja and skulle kunna work as one help verb: Jag skulle vilja ha en kaffe.

Not every word: The help verbs themselves have no -r: kan, vill, ska, måste.

Related: Now: verbs end in -r

inte, alltid, aldrig: after the verb

satsadverbial · sentence adverbs

The little words inte, alltid, aldrig, också, ofta come right after the verb.

Not every word: In a small sentence after att, eftersom, om, they move before the verb. That comes at B1.

Adjectives: basic form, +t, +a

adjektivets böjning · adjective agreement

The en-form of an adjective is its basic form. With an ett-word you add -t. With more than one you add -a. The same after är.

• Bilen är stor.The car is big.
• Huset är stort.The house is big.
• Bilarna är stora.The cars are big.

Not every word: Words ending in a vowel get -tt: ny → nytt.

More than one: -or, -ar, -er

plural · plural

en-words ending in -a get -or. Many other en-words get -ar, some get -er. You can't hear which, so learn the plural with the word.

Not every word: Most ett-words don't change: ett hus → två hus. ett-words ending in a vowel get -n: ett äpple → två äpplen.

min, mitt, mina

possessiva pronomen · possessives

My changes with the noun, like an adjective: min with en-words, mitt with ett-words, mina with more than one. The same for din, ditt, dina.

Not every word: After min, the noun has no the ending: min bil, not min bilen. And hans, hennes never change.

The past: -ar verbs get -ade

preteritum · past tense

For verbs that end in -ar, take away the -r and add -de. It's the same for everyone.

In everyday speech, -ade often sounds like -a: pratade [prata].

Related: Now: verbs end in -r

Comparing: -are + än

komparativ · comparative

Add -are to compare two things. Than is än.

• Juli är varmare än juni.July is warmer than June.

mig, dig, sig

reflexiva verb · reflexive verbs

Some verbs need a myself / yourself word in Swedish, even where English has none: Jag tvättar mig (I wash).

• Jag tvättar mig.I wash. (lit. I wash myself)
• Hon sätter sig.She sits down. (lit. She sets herself)