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Infinitives in Swedish end in -a. When conjugating verbs, the same form is used for all subject pronouns, whether singular or plural. To form the present tense of verbs, either add -r to the infinitive or remove the -a and add -er.
tala - to speak (-ar verb) and stänga - to close (-er verb)
Present Tense
|
Past Tense
|
Present Tense
|
Past Tense |
||||
jag talar | I speak | jag talade | I spoke | jag stänger | I close | jag stängde | I closed |
du talar | you speak | du talade | you spoke | du stänger | you close | du stängde | you closed |
han talar | he speaks | han talade | he spoke | han stänger | he closes | han stängde | he closed |
hon talar | she speaks | hon talade | she spoke | hon stänger | she closes | hon stängde | she closed |
vi talar | we speak | vi talade | we spoke | vi stänger | we close | vi stängde | we closed |
ni talar | you speak | ni talade | you spoke | ni stänger | you close | ni stängde | you closed |
de talar | they speak | de talade | they spoke | de stänger | they close | de stängde | they closed |
Please note the three present tenses in English (simple, progressive and emphatic) are all translated by one verb form in Swedish. Jag talar can mean I speak, I am speaking or I do speak.
Four Past Tense Conjugations
To form the past tense, most verbs add -de to the present tense form of -ar verbs and to the stem of -er verbs (infinitive minus -a). But if the stem ends in a voiceless consonant (k, p, t, or s), then add -te instead. Another group of verbs, short verbs ending in a vowel, add -dde to form the past tense. (See Irregular Verbs for a longer list as many of these verbs have irregular forms in other tenses.)
Infinitive |
Present |
Past |
||
Infinitive of -ar verbs; add -de | arbeta | to work | arbetar | arbetade |
fråga | to ask | frågar | frågade | |
öppna | to open | öppnar | öppnade | |
tala | to speak | talar | talade | |
Stem of -er verbs; add -de | ringa | to ring | ringer | ringde |
stänga | to close | stänger | stängde | |
följa | to follow | följer | följde | |
bygga | to build | bygger | byggde | |
Stem ends in k, p, t, or s; add -te | tänka | to think | tänker | tänkte |
röka | to smoke | röker | rökte | |
läsa | to read | läser | läste | |
köpa | to buy | köper | köpte | |
Infinitive ends in long vowel; add -dde | tro | to believe | tror | trodde |
bo | to live, dwell | bor | bodde |
Negative Sentences
To make a sentence negative in Swedish, simply add inte after the verb. If there is an auxiliary verb and a main verb, inte goes
between the two.
In addition, if you answer "yes" to a negative question, you must
use jo instead of ja.
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