A1 Swedish GrammarBasic Word Order
Learn the fundamental sentence structure in Swedish. Master the crucial V2 rule where the verb must be the second element in main clauses. Understanding Swedish word order is essential for building correct sentences.
1The V2 Rule: Verb Second
Swedish follows the V2 (verb second) rule in main clauses: the finite verb must always be the SECOND element in a statement. This is different from English, which is more flexible. The first position can be filled by the subject, an adverb, or any other element - but the verb always comes second. This rule is strictly followed in Swedish.
V2 Rule Examples
| Position 1 | Position 2 (Verb) | Rest | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jag | läser | en bok | I read a book |
| Idag | läser | jag en bok | Today I read a book |
| En bok | läser | jag idag | A book I read today |
| Nu | äter | vi middag | Now we eat dinner |
Notice: verb is ALWAYS in position 2
Examples
Jag arbetar varje dag.
I work every day.
Subject first, verb second
Varje dag arbetar jag.
Every day I work.
Adverb first, verb second, then subject
Igår var jag sjuk.
Yesterday I was sick.
Time word first causes inversion
Kaffe dricker jag aldrig.
Coffee I never drink.
Object first for emphasis
2Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)
The most common and neutral word order in Swedish is Subject-Verb-Object, just like English. This is the pattern you'll use most often for simple, straightforward statements. When nothing is emphasized or moved for style, Swedish sentences follow this familiar pattern.
SVO Pattern
| Subject | Verb | Object | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jag | älskar | dig | I love you |
| Hon | läser | boken | She reads the book |
| Vi | köper | mat | We buy food |
| De | talar | svenska | They speak Swedish |
Examples
Jag ser dig.
I see you.
Simple SVO
Hon skriver ett brev.
She writes a letter.
Subject + Verb + Object
Vi älskar Sverige.
We love Sweden.
Basic sentence structure
Barnen leker i parken.
The children play in the park.
SVO + location
3Questions
In yes/no questions, Swedish places the verb FIRST, followed by the subject. This is called inversion. No auxiliary verb like 'do' is needed. For questions with question words (vad, var, vem, etc.), the question word comes first, then the verb, then the subject - still following V2.
Question Word Order
| Type | Structure | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes/No | Verb + Subject | Talar du svenska? | Do you speak Swedish? |
| Yes/No | Verb + Subject | Är hon hemma? | Is she home? |
| Wh- | Q-word + Verb + Subject | Var bor du? | Where do you live? |
| Wh- | Q-word + Verb + Subject | Vad gör du? | What are you doing? |
Examples
Kommer du imorgon?
Are you coming tomorrow?
Verb first in yes/no questions
Har du tid?
Do you have time?
No 'do' needed - just verb first
Var är toaletten?
Where is the toilet?
Question word + verb + subject
Vem är det?
Who is it?
Question word first
4Adverb Placement
In Swedish main clauses, short adverbs like 'inte' (not), 'alltid' (always), 'aldrig' (never), and 'ofta' (often) typically come AFTER the verb. This differs from English where 'not' often comes before the verb. In subordinate clauses, these adverbs come BEFORE the verb - but that's a topic for later study.
Examples
Jag förstår inte.
I don't understand.
inte comes AFTER the verb
Hon kommer alltid i tid.
She always comes on time.
alltid after verb
Vi äter aldrig kött.
We never eat meat.
aldrig after verb
De reser ofta till Spanien.
They often travel to Spain.
ofta after verb