A1 Swedish GrammarPresent Tense
Master present tense verb conjugations in Swedish. Unlike many European languages, Swedish verbs don't change based on the subject - the same form is used for all persons. This makes Swedish verb conjugation remarkably simple once you learn the patterns.
1The Simple Rule: One Form for All
Swedish present tense is wonderfully simple: the verb form stays the same regardless of who is doing the action. Whether it's 'I', 'you', 'he', or 'they', the verb doesn't change. This is very different from languages like German, French, or Spanish where verbs have multiple conjugations. Most Swedish verbs in present tense end in -r. To form the present tense, you typically add -r to the verb stem (infinitive minus -a).
Same Verb Form for All Subjects
| Subject | Verb | English |
|---|---|---|
| jag | talar | I speak |
| du | talar | you speak |
| han/hon | talar | he/she speaks |
| vi | talar | we speak |
| ni | talar | you (plural) speak |
| de | talar | they speak |
Notice: 'talar' never changes!
Examples
Jag arbetar varje dag.
I work every day.
arbeta → arbetar
Hon studerar svenska.
She studies Swedish.
studera → studerar
Vi bor i Malmö.
We live in Malmö.
bo → bor
De spelar fotboll.
They play football.
spela → spelar
2Verb Groups
Swedish verbs are divided into groups based on how they form their present tense. The most common groups are: Group 1: Verbs ending in -a → add -r (tala → talar) Group 2: Verbs with short stems → add -er (läsa → läser) Group 3: Short verbs → add -r (bo → bor) Group 4: Irregular verbs → must be memorized
Verb Group Examples
| Group | Infinitive | Present | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | arbeta | arbetar | to work |
| 1 | stänga | stänger | to close |
| 2 | läsa | läser | to read |
| 2 | köpa | köper | to buy |
| 3 | bo | bor | to live |
| 3 | tro | tror | to believe |
Examples
Jag läser en bok.
I read a book.
Group 2: läsa → läser
Han köper mat.
He buys food.
Group 2: köpa → köper
Vi stänger dörren.
We close the door.
Group 1: stänga → stänger
Hon tror det.
She believes it.
Group 3: tro → tror
3Essential Irregular Verbs
Some of the most common Swedish verbs are irregular and must be memorized. The good news is that once you learn these few verbs, most others follow regular patterns. The most important irregular verbs are: vara (to be), ha (to have), göra (to do/make), gå (to go/walk), and kunna (can).
Common Irregular Verbs
| Infinitive | Present | English |
|---|---|---|
| vara | är | to be |
| ha | har | to have |
| göra | gör | to do/make |
| gå | går | to go/walk |
| se | ser | to see |
| säga | säger | to say |
| veta | vet | to know (fact) |
| vilja | vill | to want |
Examples
Jag är glad.
I am happy.
vara → är (to be)
Hon har en hund.
She has a dog.
ha → har (to have)
Vad gör du?
What are you doing?
göra → gör (to do)
Jag vet inte.
I don't know.
veta → vet (to know)
4Present Tense for Future
In Swedish, the present tense is often used to express future events, especially when the context makes the timing clear. Time expressions like 'imorgon' (tomorrow), 'nästa vecka' (next week), or 'snart' (soon) indicate future meaning. This is similar to English 'I'm leaving tomorrow' using present continuous for future plans.
Examples
Jag reser till Paris imorgon.
I'm traveling to Paris tomorrow.
Present tense + time word = future
Filmen börjar klockan åtta.
The movie starts at eight o'clock.
Scheduled future event
Vi ses snart!
See you soon!
Common phrase using present for future
Hon kommer nästa vecka.
She's coming next week.
komma → kommer (to come)