What you will learn
You can say what you want, can, may and must do, and ask for things politely in a café or a shop.
Four verbs and a second verb
| Present form | Dictionary form | English |
|---|---|---|
| vill | vilja | want |
| kan | kunna | can, be able to |
| får | få | may, be allowed to |
| måste | not used in this course | must, have to |
These four present forms are often followed by a second verb. The second verb is in the dictionary form.
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| Jag vill köpa en blomma. | I want to buy a flower. |
| Kenji kan baka bröd. | Kenji can bake bread. |
| Du får ta en kaka. | You may take a biscuit. |
| Vi måste betala nu. | We must pay now. |
English says want to buy. Swedish has a small word att that is often like English to, but there is no att between vill, kan, får or måste and the second verb. Jag vill köpa is all you need.
Not and questions
Inte comes right after vill, kan, får or måste, before the second verb.
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| Oskar kan inte komma i dag. | Oskar cannot come today. |
| Katten får inte sova i sängen. | The cat may not sleep in the bed. |
A yes or no question starts with the first verb.
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| Kan du betala med kort? | Can you pay by card? |
| Får jag betala kontant? | May I pay in cash? |
When a time word comes first, the first verb still comes next, as in I kväll vill jag läsa (this evening I want to read).
Be careful with måste inte. Du måste inte means you do not have to. To say that something is not allowed, use får inte, as in the sentence about the cat.
Vill ha for things
To say that you want a thing, use vill ha and then the thing. Vill on its own needs a verb after it.
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| Jag vill ha en kopp te. | I want a cup of tea. |
| Vill du ha mjölk? | Do you want milk? |
| Vi behöver mjölk. | We need milk. |
Behöver means need. In this chapter it is followed by a thing.
Asking politely
| Swedish | English | Who says it |
|---|---|---|
| Kan jag få ett glas juice? | Can I have a glass of juice? | the customer |
| Jag skulle vilja ha en kopp kaffe. | I would like a cup of coffee. | the customer |
| Jag tar en kanelbulle. | I’ll have a cinnamon bun. | the customer |
| Något mer? | Anything else? | the person who serves you |
| Det blir sextio kronor. | That comes to 60 kronor. | the person who serves you |
| Ja, gärna. | Yes, please. | anyone |
| Nej tack. | No, thank you. | anyone |
Kan jag få …? and Jag skulle vilja ha … are polite and very common when you order. Learn jag skulle vilja as one phrase. Skulle on its own comes later.
Jag vill ha … is clear and not rude, but the polite phrases sound softer. Jag tar … is a short, normal way to order. Ja, gärna is a friendly yes.
When people order, you often hear en kaffe for one cup of coffee. Kaffe itself is an ett-word, so this course writes en kopp kaffe.
Common mistakes
| Not like this | Like this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Jag vill köper en blomma. | Jag vill köpa en blomma. | After vill, use the dictionary form. |
| Jag vill att köpa en blomma. | Jag vill köpa en blomma. | There is no att between vill and the second verb. |
| Jag inte kan komma. | Jag kan inte komma. | Inte comes after the first verb. |
| Jag vill en kopp te. | Jag vill ha en kopp te. | For a thing, use vill ha. |
| Kan jag har ett glas vatten? | Kan jag få ett glas vatten? | Kan jag få is the fixed phrase, with the dictionary form få. |