Chapter 7, lesson 57

Yesterday and Last Week

Say when something happened with i går, i förrgår, i morse, i lördags, förra veckan and för två dagar sedan, and use var and hade, the first two past forms.

What you will learn

You can say when something happened with words such as i går, i lördags and förra veckan, and you can use var and hade.

Was and had

SwedishEnglish
I går var jag hemma.Yesterday I was at home.
I förrgår var Kenji i Lund.The day before yesterday Kenji was in Lund.
I morse var Ida trött.This morning Ida was tired.
I går kväll hade vi gäster.Last night we had guests.
Förra veckan hade Greta en ledig dag.Last week Greta had a day off.
Elin var i Gävle för två dagar sedan.Elin was in Gävle two days ago.

Var is the past form of är, and hade is the past form of har. Like every Swedish verb form, they are the same for every person. When a time word comes first, the verb still comes second, as in I går var jag hemma.

Var is also the question word for where. Var var du i går? means where were you yesterday.

A day that is coming and a day that has passed

ComingHas passedEnglish
i morgoni gårtomorrow, yesterday
i kvälli går kvälltonight, last night
på lördagi lördagson Saturday, last Saturday
nästa veckaförra veckannext week, last week

På lördag is the Saturday that is coming. I lördags is the Saturday that has just passed. Every day works this way, from i måndags to i söndags.

I morse is this morning, earlier today. Do not mix it up with i morgon, which means tomorrow. After förra the noun takes the definite form, as in förra veckan, förra helgen and förra året. För två dagar sedan means two days ago. You will often see and hear sen for sedan, and i går is also written igår.

How long

Hur länge? asks how long. The answer can use i with a length of time, as in Vi var där i två timmar, we were there for two hours.

Common mistakes

Not like thisLike thisWhy
I går jag var hemma.I går var jag hemma.The verb comes second, right after the time word.
Jag var i Lund på lördag. about the Saturday that has passedJag var i Lund i lördags.For a day that has passed, say i lördags.
I morgon var jag trött. about this morningI morse var jag trött.I morse is earlier today. I morgon is tomorrow.

Check yourself

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

  1. Det är eftermiddag. Vilken mening handlar om tidigare i dag?
  2. Fyll i ordet som visar hur länge besöket varade.

    Vi var på museet fyra timmar.

  3. Vilken fråga frågar efter hur många timmar?
  4. Ordet har står i presens. Skriv den form som passar i meningen om lördagen som har varit.

    Change the form of har

    I lördags Elin fest.

  5. Välj betydelsen av i morse.
  6. Välj betydelsen av förra.

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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