Language/Swedish/Grammar/Future-Tense

Future Tense in Swedish

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Hello everybody,

In today's lesson you will learn some useful vocabulary about ¨FUTURE TENSE¨ in Swedish

Feel free to edit this page by adding new words and expressions !

Good learning ! :)

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Future Tense in Swedish

When to use future present, ska , tanker, komma att?

Swedish people use 4 different verbforms to express the future. But when to use “future present”, “ska”, “tänker” or “komma att”

1.      Future present of the verb (=present)

The future present of the verb is identical with the present time of the verb, but is meant and translated as future tense.

The future present can be used in most cases:

Jag skriver en svensk lektion på kvällen. (context: I just got up from bed this morning, I am going to do this in the evening. It is thus clear for everybody that this is about future) / I am going to write a Swedish lecture this evening.

But note the difference in meaning, while the verb is staying in the same form, but in this case it is present time: Jag skriver en lektion nu. (context: I am just sitting and writing this lecture for you, right now).

2.      Ska + Infinitiv of verb

Jag ska skriva en svensk lektion på kvällen. / I am going to write a Swedish lecture this evening.

After auxiliary verb “ska” comes always the infinitive of the verb (without “att”, in this case “skriva”).

Also possible and often used, but inte so often as “present future”.

Personally I think that using present future is more comfortable in speeches and therefore used more often.

Here I also have a definite plan, I am (definitely) going to write the lecture this evening. (context: I have time for it, all is prepared).

3.      Tänker + Infinitiv of verb

Jag tänker skriva en svensk lection på kvällen. / I might be going to write the lecture this evening. (Nothing is yet prepared, I might have time for it, Imight not have time for  etc.).

After “tänker” comes always the infinitive of the verb (without “att”, in this case “skriva”).

But note the difference in meaning to the use of “ska”: Here I have no (!) definite plan, I just have the wish to write a Swedish lecture, but it is unsure if I do so. Nothing is prepared and it can be that I have no time for it this evening and do it at another, not defined time and date.

There are further possibilities to use the verb “att tänka/to think”. You will find more information about it in my lecture “att tycka, att tänka, att tro”.

4.      Komma att

If it is something in the future, we have no control over, it happens.

Komma att is therefore for example used with the weather.

Det kommer att regna idag. / It will rain today. 

ENGLISH	SWEDISH	PRONUNCIATION IN ENGLISH	BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE
I will love	Jag skall älska	yoh skoh ehls kah	Eu amarei
You will love	Du skall älska	dou skoh ehls kah	Você amará
He will love	Han skall älska	hahn skoh ehls kah	Ele amará
We will love	Vi skall älska	vih skoh ehls kah	Nós amaremos
You will love	Ni skall älska	nih skoh ehls kah	Vocês amarão
They will love	De skall älska	dohn skoh ehls kah	Eles amarão
I will speak	Jag skall tala	yoh skoh toh lah	Eu falarei
You will speak	Du skall tala	dou skoh toh lah	Você falará
He will speak	Han skall tala	hahn skoh toh lah	Ele falará
We will speak	Vi skall tala	vih skoh toh lah	Nós falaremos
You will speak	Ni skall tala	nih skoh toh lah	Vocês falarão
They will speak	De skall tala	dohn skoh toh lah	Eles falarão
I will sleep	Jag skall sova	yoh skoh sou oh vah	Eu dormirei
You will sleep	Du skall sova	dou skoh sou oh vah	Você dormirá
He will sleep	Han skall sova	hahn skoh sou oh vah	Ele dormirá
We will sleep	Vi skall sova	vih skoh sou oh vah	Nós dormiremos
You will sleep	Ni skall sova	nih skoh sou oh vah	Vocês dormirão
They will sleep	De skall sova	dohn skoh sou oh vah	Eles dormirão
I will open	Jag skall öppna	yoh skoh erp nah	Eu abrirei
You will open	Du skall öppna	dou skoh erp nah	Você abrirá
He will open	Han skall öppna	hahn skoh erp nah	Ele abrirá
We will open	Vi skall öppna	vih skoh erp nah	Nós abriremos
You will open	Ni skall öppna	nih skoh erp nah	Vocês abrirão
They will open	De skall öppna	dohn skoh erp nah	Eles abrirão