Swedish Verb Forms and Tense Grammar

What is the word order when a Swedish main clause starts with a time expression?

Time expression + conjugated verb + subject + rest of sentence

What is the word order for a basic Swedish statement?

Subject + conjugated verb + rest of sentence

What is the word order for negation in a Swedish main clause?

Subject + conjugated verb + inte + rest of sentence

What is the word order when a main clause starts with a place or other non-subject element?

First element + conjugated verb + subject + rest of sentence

What is the word order after a Swedish modal verb?

Subject + modal verb + inte if needed + infinitive + rest of sentence

Where does inte go in a Swedish subordinate clause?

Subject + inte + conjugated verb + rest of sentence

What is the word order after eftersom in a subordinate clause?

eftersom + subject + inte if needed + conjugated verb + rest of clause

What is the word order for a Swedish yes/no question?

Conjugated verb + subject + rest of sentence

What is the word order for a Swedish question beginning with a question word?

Question word + conjugated verb + subject + rest of question

What is the word order when a Swedish main clause starts with därför?

Därför + conjugated verb + subject + rest of sentence

What is the V2 rule in Swedish main clauses?

The conjugated verb normally comes second

What happens to word order when a sentence begins with igår?

The conjugated verb comes before the subject

Where does inte usually go in a Swedish main clause?

After the conjugated verb

Where does inte usually go in a subordinate clause?

Before the conjugated verb

How do you form the definite form of a Swedish en noun?

Add -en or -n to the noun

How do you form the definite form of a Swedish ett noun?

Add -et or -t to the noun

How do many Swedish adjectives change with ett nouns?

Add -t

How do many Swedish adjectives change in the plural?

Add -a

When do you use han versus honom?

Han is the subject form / honom is the object form

When do you use hon versus henne?

Hon is the subject form / henne is the object form

What is a reflexive pronoun used for?

Refers back to the subject

What are common Swedish reflexive pronouns?

mig / dig / sig / oss / er

What is the difference between en bok and boken?

en bok means a book / boken means the book

What is the difference between ett lejon and lejonet?

ett lejon means a lion / lejonet means the lion

Four main Swedish verb forms

infinitive / present / past (preteritum) / supine used with har

What form means “to read” and is used after modal verbs?

Infinitive

Present tense

What form describes current or habitual actions?

What form describes a completed action in the past?

Past tense (preteritum)

What construction uses har + supine?

Perfect tense

läsa (what tense)

Infinitive

läser

Present tense

läste (what tense?)

Past tense (preteritum)

läst

Supine

har läst (what tense)

Perfect tense

What form follows vill?

Infinitive

What form follows kan?

Infinitive

What form follows ska?

Infinitive

What form follows måste?

Infinitive

Jag vill läsa

Correct modal verb + infinitive construction

Jag vill läser

Incorrect because vill must be followed by the infinitive läsa

Alfons kan sova

Correct modal verb + infinitive construction

Pappa ska hjälpa honom

Correct modal verb + infinitive construction

Jag måste gå

Correct modal verb + infinitive construction

What is the infinitive form of läser?

läsa

What is the present tense of läsa?

läser

What is the past tense of läsa?

läste

What is the supine of läsa?

läst

What is the perfect tense of läsa?

har läst

What is the infinitive form of ropar?

ropa

What is the present tense of ropa?

ropar

What is the past tense of ropa?

ropade

What is the supine of ropa?

ropat

What is the perfect tense of ropa?

har ropat

What is the infinitive form of pratade?

prata

What is the present tense of prata?

pratar

What is the past tense of prata?

pratade

What is the supine of prata?

pratat

What is the perfect tense of prata?

har pratat

What is the infinitive form of köpte?

köpa

What is the present tense of köpa?

köper

What is the past tense of köpa?

köpte

What is the supine of köpa?

köpt

What is the perfect tense of köpa?

har köpt

What is the infinitive form of ringde?

ringa

What is the present tense of ringa?

ringer

What is the past tense of ringa?

ringde

What is the supine of ringa?

ringt

What is the perfect tense of ringa?

har ringt

What is the infinitive form of bodde?

bo

What is the present tense of bo?

bor

What is the past tense of bo?

bodde

What is the supine of bo?

bott

What is the perfect tense of bo?

har bott

What is the infinitive form of trodde?

tro

What is the present tense of tro?

tror

What is the past tense of tro?

trodde

What is the supine of tro?

trott

What is the perfect tense of tro?

har trott

Which tense is normally used with igår?

Past tense (preteritum)

Which tense is normally used with förra veckan?

Past tense (preteritum)

Which tense can describe what happens now?

Present tense

Which tense can describe habitual actions?

Present tense

Which tense is commonly used when summarizing a story?

Present tense (historical present)

Jag läste boken igår (what tense)

Correct past-tense sentence

Pappa hittar nallen

Present tense / historical present

Pappa hittade nallen

Past tense (preteritum)

What is the structure of the perfect tense?

Subject + har + supine

What is the supine of glömma?

glömt

What is the perfect tense of glömma?

har glömt

What is the supine of dricka?

druckit

What is the perfect tense of dricka?

har druckit

What is the supine of somna?

somnat

What is the perfect tense of somna?

har somnat

What is the supine of säga?

sagt

What is the perfect tense of säga?

har sagt

Han glömde att borsta tänderna

Past tense (preteritum)

Han har glömt att borsta tänderna

Perfect tense

Group 1 verb pattern

Infinitive -a / present -ar / past -ade / supine -at

Group 2a verb pattern

Infinitive -a / present -er / past -de / supine -t

Group 2b verb pattern

Infinitive -a / present -er / past -te / supine -t