Essential Swedish Verbs

Advertisement

Learning the most essential verbs in Swedish can significantly enhance your fluency, as verbs are the core of everyday communication. Mastering these commonly used verbs will allow you to express actions, feelings, and

thoughts effectively. Whether you’re ordering food, talking about your day, or describing plans, these verbs provide the foundation you need to engage in daily life in Swedish. Here is a list of key verbs with examples in Swedish and English to help you get started.

Essential Swedish Verbs

Swedish Verb (Svenska) English Translation Example in Swedish Example in English
vara to be Jag vill vara lycklig. I want to be happy.
ha to have Hon har en katt. She has a cat.
göra to do Vad gör du? What are you doing?
säga to say Han säger hej. He says hello.
to go Vi går till parken. We are going to the park.
komma to come Kommer du ikväll? Are you coming tonight?
se to see Jag ser dig. I see you.
äta to eat Vi äter middag klockan sex. We eat dinner at six o’clock.
dricka to drink Hon dricker kaffe varje morgon. She drinks coffee every morning.
köpa to buy Jag ska köpa en ny bok. I am going to buy a new book.
sova to sleep Barnen sover nu. The children are sleeping now.
skriva to write Jag skriver ett brev. I am writing a letter.
läsa to read Hon läser en tidning. She is reading a newspaper.
tala to speak Kan du tala svenska? Can you speak Swedish?
höra to hear Hör du fåglarna? Do you hear the birds?
tycka to think Jag tycker att filmen är bra. I think the movie is good.
tro to believe Jag tror på dig. I believe in you.
känna to feel Jag känner mig trött. I feel tired.
veta to know Vet du svaret? Do you know the answer?
vilja to want Jag vill lära mig svenska. I want to learn Swedish.
behöva to need Jag behöver hjälp. I need help.
ringa to call Jag ska ringa dig senare. I will call you later.
börja to start Kursen börjar nästa vecka. The course starts next week.
sluta to stop Vi måste sluta nu. We need to stop now.
jobba to work Han jobbar på sjukhuset. He works at the hospital.
hjälpa to help Kan du hjälpa mig? Can you help me?
vänta to wait Vi väntar på bussen. We are waiting for the bus.
spela to play Barnen spelar fotboll. The children are playing football.
titta to watch Vi tittar på en film. We are watching a movie.
resa to travel Jag reser till Stockholm imorgon. I am traveling to Stockholm tomorrow.
skratta to laugh De skrattar åt skämtet. They are laughing at the joke.
gråta to cry Hon gråter av glädje. She is crying with joy.
fråga to ask Får jag fråga dig en sak? May I ask you something?
svara to answer Kan du svara på frågan? Can you answer the question?
lägga to put Jag lägger boken på bordet. I am putting the book on the table.
ta to take Ta ett glas vatten. Take a glass of water.
bära to carry Han bär väskan åt mig. He carries the bag for me.
stänga to close Kan du stänga dörren? Can you close the door?
öppna to open Jag öppnar fönstret. I am opening the window.
leka to play (as a child) Barnen leker i parken. The children are playing in the park.
bo to live Vi bor i Göteborg. We live in Gothenburg.
gå upp to get up Jag går upp klockan sju. I get up at seven o’clock.
tvätta to wash Hon tvättar kläder. She is washing clothes.
skynda to hurry Skynda dig! Hurry up!
förlåta to forgive Kan du förlåta mig? Can you forgive me?
låna to borrow Jag lånar en bok från biblioteket. I am borrowing a book from the library.
bjuda to invite Vi bjuder dem på middag. We are inviting them to dinner.
röka to smoke Han röker inte längre. He doesn’t smoke anymore.
köra to drive Kan du köra bil? Can you drive a car?
byta to change Jag byter jobb nästa månad. I am changing jobs next month.
stanna to stay Stanna här tills jag kommer tillbaka. Stay here until I return.
minnas to remember Jag minns honom från skolan. I remember him from school.
förstå to understand Förstår du vad jag menar? Do you understand what I mean?

Conclusion

Learning these essential Swedish verbs and practicing their use will open doors to expressing yourself confidently in various everyday situations. As you incorporate these verbs into conversations, your fluency and comfort with Swedish will grow, allowing you to communicate naturally and effectively. Keep practicing and enjoy discovering the richness of Swedish through these fundamental verbs!