Language/Swedish/Grammar/Negation
Hi Swedish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will explore the basics of negation in Swedish. We will learn how to negate nouns, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and more. Negation is an important aspect of any language, and mastering it is crucial for effective communication.
After mastering this lesson, these related pages might interest you: Future Tense, Learn Swedish Sentense Structure. Subject, Verb and object., Common Interjections & How to Get Someone's Attention.
Negation of Nouns[edit | edit source]
In Swedish, to negate a noun, we simply add "inte" after the noun. For example:
| Swedish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| bok | /bu:k/ | book |
| Jag har inte en bok. | /jag här inte en bu:k/ | I do not have a book. |
Negation of Adjectives[edit | edit source]
To negate an adjective in Swedish, we add "inte" after the adjective. For example:
| Swedish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| glad | /glɑ:d/ | happy |
| Du är inte glad. | /du är inte glɑ:d/ | You are not happy. |
Negation of Adverbs[edit | edit source]
In Swedish, to negate an adverb, we add "inte" before the adverb. For example:
| Swedish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| snabbt | /snɑb: t/ | quickly |
| Hon springer inte snabbt. | /hon sprín: er inte snɑb: t/ | She does not run quickly. |
Negation of Pronouns[edit | edit source]
In Swedish, to negate a pronoun, simply add "inte" after the pronoun. For example:
| Swedish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| jag | /jɑ:g/ | I |
| Jag känner dig inte. | /jag kɛner dig inte/ | I do not know you. |
Negation of Verbs[edit | edit source]
The negation of verbs is a little bit more complicated in Swedish. We use "inte" after the verb, and we also need to include the auxiliary verb. The auxiliary verb is "att" (to) in Swedish.
For example:
| Swedish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| prata | /prɑ:ta/ | to speak |
| Jag pratar inte svenska. | /jag prátar inte svénska/ | I do not speak Swedish. |
In the above example, "inte" comes after the verb "pratar" and "att" (to) is included before the verb.
Negation of Compound Verbs[edit | edit source]
To negate compound verbs, we follow the same rule as the negation of verbs. For example:
| Swedish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| har studerat | /har studerat/ | have studied |
| Jag har inte studerat idag. | /jag har inte studerat ida:g/ | I have not studied today. |
In the above example, "inte" comes after "har" and "att."
Common Expressions of Negation[edit | edit source]
Here are some common expressions using negation:
- Jag vet inte. (I do not know.)
- Hon kan inte simma. (She cannot swim.)
- Det är inte mitt problem. (It is not my problem.)
Practice Dialogue[edit | edit source]
To see negation in action, here is an example dialogue:
- Person 1: Har du en bil? (Do you have a car?)
- Person 2: Nej, jag har inte en bil. (No, I do not have a car.)
Further Study[edit | edit source]
For more information about negation in Swedish, refer to the Swedish Grammar page on Wikipedia. To improve your Swedish Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!