Chapter 7, lesson 58

What We Did on Saturday

Make the past form of verbs that end in -ar in the present by adding de to the dictionary form, as in jobbade, städade and vilade, and use it with a time word that has passed.

What you will learn

You can make the past form of verbs that end in -ar in the present, as in jobbade and städade.

Add de to the dictionary form

A verb with -ar in the present keeps the whole dictionary form and adds de in the past. So jobba gives jobbade. The past form is the same for every person.

Dictionary formPresent formPast formEnglish
jobbajobbarjobbadework
städastädarstädadeclean
vilavilarviladerest
badabadarbadadeswim, bathe
grillagrillargrilladebarbecue
handlahandlarhandladeshop
flyttaflyttarflyttademove house
stannastannarstannadestay, stop
missamissarmissademiss
tappatappartappadedrop, lose
förloraförlorarförloradelose a game

Every verb of this kind that you know works the same way, for example talade, vaknade, började, lagade mat, tittade, pratade, spelade, dansade, fikade, träffade and hämtade. The vocabulary page lists them all.

What we did

SwedishEnglish
I lördags städade vi hela lägenheten.Last Saturday we cleaned the whole flat.
Marta vilade på soffan i går.Marta rested on the sofa yesterday.
Kenji missade tåget i morse.Kenji missed the train this morning.
Förra veckan handlade Jonas mat på torget.Last week Jonas bought food at the square.
Tariq stannade hemma i går kväll.Tariq stayed at home last night.
I helgen spelade Hugo fotboll.Last weekend Hugo played football.

Use the past for something that happened at a time that has passed, such as i går or i lördags. I helgen can be the coming weekend or the one that has just passed, and the verb shows which. I helgen spelade Hugo fotboll is about last weekend. I helgen ska Hugo spela fotboll is about the coming one.

Bada means to swim outdoors or to take a bath. Simma is swimming as a sport or a skill.

Common mistakes

Not like thisLike thisWhy
Jag jobbar i går.Jag jobbade i går.I går has passed, so use the past form.
Hon städde köket.Hon städade köket.Keep the whole dictionary form städa and add de.
Vi ska badade.Vi ska bada.After ska, use the dictionary form.

Check yourself

A few questions from the Learning Path on this lesson. Answer, then check, or show the answer with its explanation.

  1. Vilken mening betyder att hon kom för sent till bussen?
  2. Skriv preteritum av städa.

    I går de hallen.

  3. Gör meningen nekande. Behåll dåtiden.

    Vi grillade fisk.

  4. Vilken mening handlar om lördagen som just har varit?
  5. Använd preteritum av jobba.

    I går vi.

  6. Välj den engelska betydelsen av den svenska meningen eller frasen.

    Förra veckan handlade Jonas mat på torget.

How this lesson connects

Learning Path

Practice and review

Practice this lesson, check your answers and review mistakes in a separate round. Track your results as you work through the course.

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