Lesson 10: Talking About the Present – Presens
Lesson Objectives:
- Understand how present tense (presens) is used in Swedish.
- Learn how to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense.
- Practice describing daily routines using present tense verbs.
What Is Presens?
In Swedish, presens (present tense) is used to describe:
- Actions happening now: Jag läser en bok. (I am reading a book.)
- Regular or habitual actions: Hon tränar varje morgon. (She exercises every morning.)
- General truths: Solen skiner. (The sun is shining.)
Unlike English, Swedish does not have a separate “-ing” form. One form of the verb covers both “I read” and “I am reading.”
Regular Verb Conjugation
Most Swedish verbs follow predictable patterns. Let’s look at the four main verb groups for regular verbs in presens:
Group 1: Verbs ending in -ar
Example: studera → studerar
| Verb (Infinitive) | Present (Presens) | English |
|---|---|---|
| studera | studerar | study |
| prata | pratar | talk |
| arbeta | arbetar | work |
Group 2: Verbs ending in -er
Example: läsa → läser
| Verb (Infinitive) | Present (Presens) | English |
|---|---|---|
| läsa | läser | read |
| köpa | köper | buy |
| stänga | stänger | close |
Group 3: Short verbs ending in a vowel → add -r
Example: bo → bor
| Verb (Infinitive) | Present (Presens) | English |
|---|---|---|
| bo | bor | live |
| tro | tror | believe |
| må | mår | feel (health) |
Group 4: Irregular verbs (memorization required)
Example: vara → är
| Infinitive | Present | English |
|---|---|---|
| vara | är | be |
| ha | har | have |
| gå | går | go/walk |
| göra | gör | do/make |
Talking About Daily Routines
Use presens to describe your everyday life:
- Jag vaknar klockan sju. (I wake up at seven.)
- Hon äter frukost hemma. (She eats breakfast at home.)
- Vi jobbar från nio till fem. (We work from nine to five.)
- De går till skolan varje dag. (They go to school every day.)
Practice Sentences (Translate to English)
- Jag studerar svenska varje dag.
- Han dricker kaffe på morgonen.
- Vi går till jobbet tillsammans.
- Hon läser en bok varje kväll.
- De tittar på TV efter middagen.
Answers
- I study Swedish every day.
- He drinks coffee in the morning.
- We go to work together.
- She reads a book every evening.
- They watch TV after dinner.
Language Tip:
In spoken Swedish, subject pronouns (like jag, du, hon) are always used — dropping them, like in Spanish or Italian, is not common.
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