A2 Swedish GrammarImperative (Commands)
Give commands and instructions in Swedish using the imperative mood. Learn how to form imperatives from different verb groups, add politeness with 'snälla', and use imperatives with reflexive verbs and particles.
1Forming the Imperative
The Swedish imperative is simple: use the verb stem without any ending. For most verbs, remove -a from the infinitive. Group 2 verbs (with -er in present) keep their stem as-is. The imperative is the same for singular and plural.
Imperative Formation
| Group | Infinitive | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (-ar) | tala | tala | speak! |
| 1 (-ar) | arbeta | arbeta | work! |
| 2 (-er) | läsa | läs | read! |
| 2 (-er) | skriva | skriv | write! |
| 3 (short) | tro | tro | believe! |
| 4 (irreg.) | komma | kom | come! |
Examples
Lyssna!
Listen!
Group 1: lyssna → lyssna
Stäng dörren!
Close the door!
Group 2: stänga → stäng
Kom hit!
Come here!
Irregular: komma → kom
Var tyst!
Be quiet!
vara → var
2Polite Commands with 'snälla' and Other Softeners
To make commands more polite, add 'snälla' (please) or use 'kan du' (can you) instead of a direct imperative. Swedish also uses 'vänligen' (kindly) in formal writing. The intonation also matters for politeness.
Politeness Strategies
| Form | Example | English | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imperative | Stäng dörren! | Close the door! | Direct |
| + snälla | Stäng dörren, snälla. | Close the door, please. | Polite |
| Kan du...? | Kan du stänga dörren? | Can you close the door? | Very polite |
| Vänligen | Vänligen stäng dörren. | Kindly close the door. | Formal |
Examples
Hjälp mig, snälla!
Help me, please!
snälla after the command
Snälla, var inte arg.
Please, don't be angry.
snälla at the beginning
Kan du ge mig saltet?
Can you give me the salt?
Polite alternative to 'Ge!'
Vänligen vänta här.
Kindly wait here.
Formal/written Swedish
3Negative Commands
To make negative commands, simply add 'inte' after the imperative verb. Swedish doesn't need an auxiliary like English 'don't'. The order is always: Imperative + inte.
Negative Imperatives
| Positive | Negative | English Positive | English Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gå! | Gå inte! | Go! | Don't go! |
| Rör! | Rör inte! | Touch! | Don't touch! |
| Glöm! | Glöm inte! | Forget! | Don't forget! |
| Gör det! | Gör det inte! | Do it! | Don't do it! |
Examples
Spring inte!
Don't run!
Verb + inte
Glöm inte nycklarna!
Don't forget the keys!
Object after inte
Prata inte så högt!
Don't talk so loudly!
With manner adverb
Var inte rädd!
Don't be afraid!
vara → var + inte
4Imperatives with Reflexive and Particle Verbs
With reflexive verbs, add the reflexive pronoun 'dig' (singular) or 'er' (plural) after the imperative. With particle verbs (like sätt på, stäng av), the particle stays with the verb in imperatives.
Reflexive and Particle Imperatives
| Infinitive | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|
| sätta sig | Sätt dig! | Sit down! |
| skynda sig | Skynda dig! | Hurry up! |
| stänga av | Stäng av! | Turn off! |
| sätta på | Sätt på! | Turn on! |
Examples
Sätt dig ner!
Sit down!
Reflexive: dig after the verb
Klä på dig!
Get dressed!
Reflexive + particle verb
Stäng av TV:n!
Turn off the TV!
Particle stays with verb
Lugna ner dig!
Calm down!
Reflexive with particle ner