A1 Swedish GrammarBasic Prepositions
Learn essential Swedish prepositions for location, time, and direction. Master i (in), på (on/at), till (to), från (from), med (with), and others. Swedish prepositions often differ from English—learning the right one for each context is crucial.
1Location: I, På, Vid
Swedish uses 'i' for enclosed spaces (i huset = in the house), 'på' for surfaces and places (på bordet = on the table, på jobbet = at work), and 'vid' for beside/near (vid havet = by the sea). These don't always match English in/on/at.
Location Prepositions
| Swedish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| i | in, inside | i rummet (in the room) |
| på | on, at | på bordet (on the table) |
| vid | by, near | vid fönstret (by the window) |
| under | under | under bordet (under the table) |
| över | over, above | över dörren (above the door) |
Examples
Katten sitter i lådan.
The cat is sitting in the box.
i = in (enclosed)
Boken ligger på bordet.
The book is on the table.
på = on (surface)
Han står vid dörren.
He is standing by the door.
vid = by/near
Hon bor i Sverige.
She lives in Sweden.
i for countries
2Direction: Till, Från, Genom
For movement: 'till' (to), 'från' (from), 'genom' (through). 'Jag går till affären' (I go to the store). 'Kom från Stockholm' (come from Stockholm). Swedish sometimes uses the same preposition for location and direction.
Direction Prepositions
| Swedish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| till | to | till skolan (to school) |
| från | from | från jobbet (from work) |
| genom | through | genom parken (through the park) |
| mot | towards | mot stan (towards town) |
| in i | into | in i huset (into the house) |
Examples
Jag går till jobbet.
I walk to work.
till = to (destination)
Hon kommer från Finland.
She comes from Finland.
från = from (origin)
Vi kör genom tunneln.
We drive through the tunnel.
genom = through
Han sprang in i rummet.
He ran into the room.
in i = into
3Time: I, På, Om
For time: 'i' with duration (i två timmar = for two hours), 'på' with days/parts of day (på måndag = on Monday), 'om' for future time (om en vecka = in a week). Swedish time prepositions often differ from English patterns.
Time Prepositions
| Swedish | English | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| i | for | duration (i tre dagar) |
| på | on, in | days, parts of day (på morgonen) |
| om | in | future time (om en timme) |
| sedan | ago | past time (för en vecka sedan) |
| under | during | period (under sommaren) |
Examples
Jag arbetade i fem timmar.
I worked for five hours.
i = for (duration)
Vi ses på fredag.
See you on Friday.
på = on (day)
Tåget går om tio minuter.
The train leaves in ten minutes.
om = in (future)
Det hände för två år sedan.
It happened two years ago.
för...sedan = ago
4Other Essential Prepositions
Learn these common prepositions: 'med' (with), 'utan' (without), 'för' (for), 'av' (of/by), 'om' (about). They appear in countless everyday expressions. 'Med' is especially frequent for accompaniment and means.
Everyday Prepositions
| Swedish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| med | with | med mig (with me) |
| utan | without | utan mjölk (without milk) |
| för | for | för dig (for you) |
| av | of, by | gjord av trä (made of wood) |
| om | about | en bok om Sverige (a book about Sweden) |
Examples
Jag bor med min familj.
I live with my family.
med = with
Kaffe utan socker, tack.
Coffee without sugar, please.
utan = without
Det är för dyrt för mig.
It's too expensive for me.
för = for
Vad handlar filmen om?
What is the movie about?
om = about