Language/Swedish/Grammar/Present-tense

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Present Tense

The present tense in Swedish is used to talk about actions or events that are happening now or regularly occur. In Swedish, the present tense is relatively simple to form and there are some irregular verbs that you should be aware of.

Formation of the Present Tense:

In Swedish, the present tense of regular verbs is formed by adding an "-r" to the stem of the verb. The stem of the verb is usually the infinitive form without the "-a" ending. For example, the stem of the verb "att tala" (to speak) is "tal-".

Here's how to form the present tense in Swedish:

Subject + verb stem + "-r"

Example: Jag talar svenska. (I speak Swedish.) Du spelar gitarr. (You play guitar.) Han läser en bok. (He reads a book.) Vi sjunger en sång. (We sing a song.) Ni dansar tillsammans. (You all dance together.) De arbetar på kontoret. (They work at the office.)

Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense:

Some verbs in Swedish are irregular in the present tense and do not follow the regular "-r" ending pattern. Here are some examples of irregular verbs in the present tense:

Verb: vara (to be) Jag är Du är Han/hon/den/det är Vi är Ni är De är

Verb: ha (to have) Jag har Du har Han/hon/den/det har Vi har Ni har De har

Verb: vilja (to want) Jag vill Du vill Han/hon/den/det vill Vi vill Ni vill De vill

Usage of the Present Tense:

The present tense is used to talk about actions or events that are happening now or regularly occur. Some common situations where the present tense is used include:

1. Actions happening right now: Jag talar svenska. (I am speaking Swedish.)
2. Habits or routines: Jag tränar varje dag. (I exercise every day.)
3. General truths or facts: Solen går upp i öster. (The sun rises in the east.)
4. Narration or storytelling: Hon går till skolan varje dag. (She goes to school every day.)

It's important to note that in Swedish, the present tense can also be used to talk about future events that are considered certain or planned, especially in spoken language.

Example: Vi ses imorgon. (We will meet tomorrow.)

Here, the present tense "ses" (meet) is used to talk about a future event that has been planned and is certain to happen.

Conclusion:

In Swedish, the present tense is formed by adding "-r" to the stem of regular verbs. Some verbs are irregular in the present tense and should be memorized. The present tense is used to talk about actions or events that are happening now or regularly occur, habits or routines, general truths or facts, and narration or storytelling. In spoken language, the present tense can also be used to talk about future events that are considered certain or planned.

Table of Contents - Swedish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Introduction to Swedish

• Greeting people
• Saying goodbye
• Asking for directions
• Going to a restaurant

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Swedish Pronouns

• Personal pronouns
• Reflexive pronouns
• Demonstrative pronouns
• Possessive pronouns

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Colors and Numbers

• Colors
• Numbers 0-20
• Numbers 20-100
• Numbers above 100

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Swedish Culture

• Swedish customs
• Swedish food
• Swedish holidays
• Swedish geography

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Swedish Verbs

• Present tense
• Past tense
• Future tense
• Verbs with prepositions

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Body parts and health

• Body parts
• Symptoms and illnesses
• At the doctor's

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Swedish Nouns

• Gender of nouns
• Definite and indefinite nouns
• Plural nouns

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Travel and directions

• Means of transportation
• Booking a trip
• Giving directions

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Sweden's history

• Vikings and Middle Ages
• Modern Sweden
• Swedish politics and society

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Swedish Adjectives

• Basic adjectives
• Comparison of adjectives
• Compound adjectives

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Jobs and professions

• Types of jobs
• Job applications and interviews
• Workplace Swedish

Other Lessons

• Nouns
• How to express ownership
• Give your Opinion
• When use Ett or En
• How to Get Someone's Attention
• Passive Voice
• How to express agreement
• Comparison of adjectives
• How to Use Be

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Next Lesson — Past tense ▶️