15 Most Common Swedish Verbs - Swedish Grammar Lesson 2

Mastering the most common Swedish verbs is a crucial foundation for anyone learning the language. At the very heart of Swedish lies the verb “att vara” (to be), an irregular and indispensable verb used to express identity, characteristics, and states of being. Its present tense form, “är,” appears in countless everyday sentences, such as “Hon är snäll” (“She is kind”). Alongside it, the verb “att ha” (to have), also irregular, is essential not only to indicate possession—as in “Jag har en bok” (“I have a book”)—but also as an auxiliary verb to form perfect tenses, such as “Jag har ätit” (“I have eaten”).

Equally versatile is “att få” (to get, may), which serves multiple functions, from granting permission to receiving something. For example, “Får jag gå nu?” means “May I leave now?” while “Jag får en present” means “I get a present.” This dual meaning makes it one of the most frequently used verbs in daily conversation.

When expressing future intentions or plans, the modal verb “ska” (shall, will) comes into play. It is already in the present tense and is always followed by another verb in the infinitive. For example, “Vi ska resa till Stockholm” means “We will travel to Stockholm.” Along similar lines, “kan” (can) expresses ability or possibility: “Kan du simma?” means “Can you swim?” Meanwhile, “vill” (want) reveals desires and wishes, as in “Jag vill äta” (“I want to eat”).

The verb “att komma” (to come) is fundamental when talking about movement or arrival. For instance, “Hon kommer snart” means “She’s coming soon.” Meanwhile, “att finnas” (to exist, to be there) is often used to ask about the presence or existence of something: “Finns det några frågor?” (“Are there any questions?”).

Another multi-purpose verb is “att bli” (to become, to get), which can express transformation, change, or passive voice. An example is “Det blir kallt” (“It’s becoming cold”) or in passive constructions like “Boken blir läst” (“The book is being read”).

In everyday speech, “att säga” (to say, to tell) is indispensable for reporting speech: “Han säger sanningen” (“He tells the truth”). Similarly, “att gå” (to go, to walk) is used in many situations: “Vi går till skolan” means “We’re walking to school.”

The verb “att ta” (to take) is practical and appears frequently in contexts like “Jag tar en kaffe” (“I’ll take a coffee”). Alongside it, “att göra” (to do, to make) expresses actions and creations, such as “Vad gör du?” (“What are you doing?”).

Communication often involves questions, and “att fråga” (to ask) is the perfect verb for this purpose: “Jag frågar läraren” (“I ask the teacher”). To express beliefs or assumptions, “att tro” (to believe) is essential, e.g., “Jag tror på dig” (“I believe in you”).

When sharing opinions, “att tycka” (to think, to find [an opinion]) is used: “Jag tycker att filmen var bra” (“I think the movie was good”). To state knowledge or facts, “att veta” (to know) is vital: “Vet du svaret?” (“Do you know the answer?”).

Describing location or placement requires “att ligga” (to lie, to be situated), as in “Boken ligger på bordet” (“The book is lying on the table”). When expressing necessities, “att behöva” (to need) comes into play: “Jag behöver hjälp” (“I need help”).

Finally, the verb “att ge” (to give) is often used to indicate offering or granting: “Han ger mig en present” (“He gives me a present”).

**The Most Common Swedish Verbs**

1. att vara — to be

Present tense: är

As in: Hon är alltid glad.

(“She is always happy.”)

2. att få — to get, may

Present tense: får

As in: Du får inte röra det där!

(“You’re not allowed to touch that!”)

and Får jag ställa en fråga?

(“May I ask a question?”)

3. att ha — to have

Present tense: har

As in: Jag har en liten hund.

(“I have a small dog.”)

4. ska — shall, will

Ska is present tense already — it’s a modal verb used with other Swedish verbs in the infinitive.

With ska, you can also talk about the future.

As in: Hon ska börja på universitetet.

(“She’s going to start university.”)

5. kan — can

Like ska, kan is also a modal verb.

As in: Kan vi träffas imorgon?

(“Can we meet tomorrow?”)

6. vill — want

Yay, another modal verb!

As in: Jag vill ha en kopp te.

(“I want a cup of tea.”)

7. att komma — to come

Present tense: kommer

As in: Kommer du till festen?

(“Are you coming to the party?”)

8. att finnas — to be, exist

Present tense: finns

As in: Det finns inget kaffe kvar.

(“There is no coffee left.”)

9. att bli — to become, get

Present tense: blir

As in: Han blir trött efter jobbet.

(“He gets tired after work.”)

The verb bli is also used to express the passive form of an event,

as in Boken blir läst av många.

(“The book is being read by many.”)

10. att säga — to say, tell

Present tense: säger

As in: De säger att filmen är bra.

(“They say the movie is good.”)

11. att gå — to go, walk

Present tense: går

As in: Han går till skolan varje dag.

(“He walks to school every day.”)

12. att ta — to take

Present tense: tar

As in: Hon tar tåget till jobbet.

(“She takes the train to work.”)

13. att göra — to do, make

Present tense: gör

As in: Vi gör en tårta till kalaset.

(“We’re making a cake for the party.”)

14. att fråga — to ask

Present tense: frågar

As in: Han frågar alltid många frågor.

(“He always asks a lot of questions.”)

15. att tro — to believe

Present tense: tror

As in: Tror du att det är sant?

(“Do you think it’s true?”)