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.
Practice in interactive stories
With instant translation and audio
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
Practice Exercises
3 exercises
'The book is on the table': Boken ligger ___ bordet.
'I walk to school': Jag går ___ skolan.
'I live with my family': Jag bor ___ min familj.
See Real Examples in Stories
Now that you've practiced, see this grammar in context
Practice with A1 Stories
Apply what you learned in interactive stories with instant translations.
Browse A1 Stories