Grammar 3: Swedish Adverbs – Adverb i svenska

Lesson 3: Introduction to Adverbs – Adverb i svenska

Lesson Objectives:

• Understand what adverbs (adverb) are and how they function in Swedish.
• Learn the different types of adverbs: of manner, time, place, frequency, and degree.
• Practice forming sentences with common Swedish adverbs.

What Is an Adverb?

An adverb is a word that describes or modifies:

• a verb (action),
• an adjective, or
• another adverb.

Adverbs tell us how, when, where, how often, or to what extent something happens.

Types of Swedish Adverbs

Adverbs of Manner (Hur? – How?)

These describe how something is done.

Swedish	English
snabbt	quickly
långsamt	slowly
bra	well
dåligt	badly
försiktigt	carefully

Example:
– Hon kör försiktigt. (She drives carefully.)
– Jag arbetar snabbt. (I work quickly.)

Adverbs of Time (När? – When?)

These describe when something happens.

Swedish	English
nu	now
snart	soon
igår	yesterday
idag	today
alltid	always
ibland	sometimes

Example:
– Jag kommer snart. (I’m coming soon.)
– Vi åkte hem igår. (We went home yesterday.)

Adverbs of Place (Var? – Where?)

These describe where something happens.

Swedish	English
här	here
där	there
överallt	everywhere
ute	outside
inne	inside

Example:
– Boken ligger där. (The book is there.)
– Katten sover inne. (The cat is sleeping inside.)

Adverbs of Frequency (Hur ofta? – How often?)

These describe how often something happens.

Swedish	English
alltid	always
ofta	often
ibland	sometimes
sällan	rarely
aldrig	never

Example:
– Jag tränar ofta. (I exercise often.)
– Hon kommer aldrig sent. (She is never late.)

Adverbs of Degree (Hur mycket? – To what extent?)

These describe the intensity or degree of something.

Swedish	English
mycket	much, very
lite	little
ganska	quite
nästan	almost
helt	completely

Example:
– Det är mycket kallt. (It is very cold.)
– Jag är ganska trött. (I’m quite tired.)

Word Order Tip

In Swedish, adverbs usually go after the verb in main clauses:

Jag läser ofta på kvällen.   (I often read in the evening.)

If there is a modal verb, the adverb comes after the modal and before the main verb:

Jag kan inte komma.       (I cannot come.)

Practice Sentences

Try to translate these into Swedish:

1. I never eat meat.
2. She sings well.
3. They are always happy.
4. He runs very fast.
5. We are almost finished.

✅ Suggested Answers:

1. Jag äter aldrig kött.
2. Hon sjunger bra.
3. De är alltid glada.
4. Han springer väldigt snabbt.
5. Vi är nästan klara.