Chapter 1, lesson 3

Simple Statements

Make short Swedish statements that start with the subject, say that something is not so with inte, and join two statements with och or men.

What you will learn

You can make short statements and say that something is not so with inte.

Subject, verb, the rest

SubjectVerbThe rest
Elinbori Uppsala.
Martatalarpolska.
JagheterKenji.
Oskarärstudent.

The subject is the person or thing the sentence is about. When a statement starts with the subject, the verb comes right after it, and then the other words.

Swedish sentences can also start with other words, such as a time or a place, and then the order changes. That comes in a later lesson. In this chapter, every statement starts with the subject.

Saying not with inte

SubjectVerbinteThe rest
Tariqborintei Knivsta.
Jagtalarintejapanska.
Honärintelärare.

Inte means not. In these statements, inte comes right after the verb. Swedish needs no extra word like do, so Jag talar inte japanska means I do not speak Japanese.

Joining with och and men

SwedishEnglish
Marta talar polska och engelska.Marta speaks Polish and English.
Oskar är student, men Elin är kursledare.Oskar is a student, but Elin is the course leader.

Och means and. Men means but. When men joins two statements, each part keeps its own order, the subject and then the verb. A comma before men is usual.

Common mistakes

Not like thisLike thisWhy
Jag inte talar japanska.Jag talar inte japanska.Inte comes after the verb.
Hon bor i inte Uppsala.Hon bor inte i Uppsala.Inte comes right after the verb, before the place.
Jag talar japanska inte.Jag talar inte japanska.Inte goes right after the verb, not at the end.

Check yourself

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

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

    Hon heter Marta.

  2. Personen använder hen. Hen kan två språk, polska samt arabiska. Skriv ordet som saknas. Använd ett av de givna orden.

    Choose from och, men

    Hen talar polska arabiska.

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

    Ni talar engelska.

  4. Fyll i det svenska ord som saknas. Meningen ska betyda "We live in Uppsala.". Använd bo i presens.

    Vi i Uppsala.

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

    Du kommer från Polen.

  6. Fyll i det svenska ord som saknas. Meningen ska betyda "He comes from Japan.". Använd komma i presens.

    Han från Japan.

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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