A2 Swedish GrammarTemporal Prepositions
Express time precisely in Swedish with temporal prepositions: sedan (since), i (for), till (until), under (during), före/innan (before), efter (after). Learn which contexts require which preposition and avoid common confusion.
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1Duration: 'i' (for) and 'sedan' (since/for)
Use 'i' for duration: how long something lasts. Use 'sedan' for point in time: when something started. 'I' answers 'hur länge?' (how long), while 'sedan' answers 'sedan när?' (since when). Note: 'sedan' can also mean 'since' as a conjunction.
I vs. Sedan
| Preposition | Meaning | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | for (duration) | Hur länge? | i tre dagar |
| sedan | since (point) | Sedan när? | sedan måndag |
| sedan | for (until now) | Hur länge? | i tre år (sedan) |
| om | in (future) | När? | om en vecka |
Examples
Jag har bott här i fem år.
I have lived here for five years.
i for duration
Hon har arbetat här sedan 2020.
She has worked here since 2020.
sedan for starting point
Vi väntade i två timmar.
We waited for two hours.
i for completed duration
Jag har inte sett henne sedan förra veckan.
I haven't seen her since last week.
sedan for point in past
2Before and After: 'före/innan' and 'efter'
'Före' and 'innan' both mean 'before', but 'före' is used with nouns/time points, while 'innan' introduces clauses. 'Efter' means 'after' and works with both nouns and clauses (often with 'att').
Before and After
| Preposition | Used With | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| före | noun/time | före klockan nio | before nine o'clock |
| innan | clause | innan du går | before you go |
| efter | noun | efter middagen | after dinner |
| efter att | clause | efter att han gått | after he left |
Examples
Jag vaknar före sju.
I wake up before seven.
före + time
Ring mig innan du kommer.
Call me before you come.
innan + clause
Vi träffas efter jobbet.
We'll meet after work.
efter + noun
Efter att ha ätit, gick vi ut.
After eating, we went out.
efter att + infinitive
3During and Until: 'under' and 'till'
'Under' means 'during' a period of time. 'Till' means 'until' or 'to' a point in time. Don't confuse Swedish 'till' (until) with English 'till' (same meaning) - Swedish also uses 'tills' before clauses.
Under and Till
| Preposition | Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| under | during | under sommaren | during the summer |
| under | during | under mötet | during the meeting |
| till | until (point) | till fredag | until Friday |
| tills | until (clause) | tills du kommer | until you come |
Examples
Under vintern åker vi skidor.
During the winter, we go skiing.
under + season
Jag stannar här till klockan fem.
I'm staying here until five o'clock.
till + specific time
Vänta tills jag kommer tillbaka.
Wait until I come back.
tills + clause
Under tiden kan du vänta här.
In the meantime, you can wait here.
under tiden = meanwhile
4Future Time: 'om' (in)
'Om' means 'in' when referring to future time: how long from now something will happen. Don't confuse this with 'i' (for duration) or 'på' (on specific days). 'Om' answers 'hur snart?' (how soon).
Future Time with 'om'
| Expression | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| om en timme | in an hour | future |
| om två dagar | in two days | future |
| om en vecka | in a week | future |
| om några minuter | in a few minutes | future |
Examples
Tåget går om tio minuter.
The train leaves in ten minutes.
om for future time
Vi ses om en vecka.
We'll see each other in a week.
om + time period
Jag är tillbaka om några timmar.
I'll be back in a few hours.
om + några (a few)
Om ett år är jag klar med studierna.
In a year, I'll be done with my studies.
om + longer period
Practice Exercises
4 exercises
'I have lived here for five years': Jag har bott här ___ fem år.
'She has worked here since Monday': Hon har arbetat här ___ måndag.
'Call me before you leave': Ring mig ___ du går.
'During the winter, we ski': ___ vintern åker vi skidor.
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