What you will learn
You can talk about plans with ska, suggest doing something together and answer an invitation.
Ska and a verb
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| Jag ska jobba i morgon. | I am going to work tomorrow. |
| Marta ska städa i helgen. | Marta is going to clean this weekend. |
| Vi ska gå på bio på fredag. | We are going to the cinema on Friday. |
| De ska spela fotboll på söndag. | They are going to play football on Sunday. |
Ska shows a plan, something you have decided to do. After ska comes the dictionary form of the verb, just as after vill, kan and måste. Ska itself is the same for every person, so jag ska, hon ska and de ska.
No att comes between ska and the verb. Say Jag ska jobba, not Jag ska att jobba.
Gå på bio means go to the cinema. In this phrase gå is used even when you go there by bus or by car. The same på comes with other events, as in på fest and på konsert.
Not, and a time word first
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| Jag ska inte jobba i kväll. | I am not going to work tonight. |
| I helgen ska Kenji träna. | This weekend Kenji is going to exercise. |
| På lördag ska vi ha fest. | On Saturday we are having a party. |
In a statement that starts with the subject, inte comes right after ska, before the dictionary form. When a time word such as i helgen or på lördag comes first, ska comes second and the subject follows it, just as with any other verb. Inte then comes after the subject, as in I helgen ska jag inte jobba.
I helgen means this weekend, the one that is coming. En helg is a weekend, and helgen is the weekend.
Asking about plans
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| Vad ska du göra i helgen? | What are you doing this weekend? |
| Ska du jobba på lördag? | Are you working on Saturday? |
| Ska vi fika? | Shall we have a coffee? |
| Ska vi ta en promenad tillsammans? | Shall we go for a walk together? |
Ska vi …? suggests doing something together, like shall we or how about in English. Fika means taking a break, often with coffee, tea or something to eat and time to talk. Coffee is common, but it is not required.
Saying yes, no or maybe
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| Ja, gärna! | Yes, I would love to! |
| Vad kul! | How nice! |
| Kanske. Jag vet inte. | Maybe. I do not know. |
| Tyvärr kan jag inte. | Unfortunately I cannot. |
| Jag är ledig på söndag. | I am free on Sunday. |
Tyvärr means unfortunately. It makes a no sound polite. When tyvärr comes first, the verb comes next, as in Tyvärr kan jag inte. Ledig means free, not at work or at school.
The present can talk about the future
With a time word, the present form can also be about the future. Filmen börjar klockan åtta means the film starts at eight. I morgon jobbar jag means I am working tomorrow. Ska makes it clear that you are talking about a plan.
Common mistakes
| Not like this | Like this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Jag ska jobbar i morgon. | Jag ska jobba i morgon. | After ska, use the dictionary form. |
| Vi ska att simma. | Vi ska simma. | No att comes after ska. |
| På lördag vi ska ha fest. | På lördag ska vi ha fest. | Ska comes second, before the subject. |
| Jag inte ska jobba. | Jag ska inte jobba. | Inte comes after ska. |