Swedish adverbs

Swedish adverbs 

If you are trying to learn Swedish adverbs this short course will give you the right explanation and guidelines about the different types of adverbs. This course will help you develop and improve your Swedish grammar as well as vocabulary. Try and concentrate and watch out for the patterns that occur each time the word changes position. Now it’s time for you to sit up and enjoy the lesson!

Displayed below are Swedish adverbs and their meaning in English for you to have a clear understanding. Adverbs are part of speech; they are words which change any part of language other than a noun. They modify verbs, adjectives, numbers, sentences and other adverbs. 

Question Adverbs

Don't get confused with ''var'' and ''vart'', you only use ''vart'' when the verb in the question indicates moving, i.e. ''åka'' (go) or ''komma'' (come) or ''springa'' (run). 

The questions is where are adverbs placed? questions adverbs are of course placed in the begining of the sentence when it's a direct question. Here is an example; 

• Var bor du? (Where do you live)
• Vart ska du till? (where are you going to)

Below is a list of adverbs that are used for time, place, manner and frequency, try and memorise as many as you can, this is very important because it will help you add additional words in your Swedish voocabulary.

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Adverbs of time

Here are examples of possible sentences:

• Jag kommer att simma i morgon (I am going to swim tomorrow).
• Jag tänker på semester nästa vecka (I am going on holiday next week)

Looking back at the examples, these adverbs can either be placed at the start of at the end of a sentence just like below. Keep in mind that adverbs of time will always be at the front of the sentence, this should help you see the difference.

• Idag är det fint väder (The weather is nice today)
• Det är fint väder idag (The weather is nice today) 

Adverbs of place

Here are examples of possible sentences.

• Det regnar överallt (It is raining everywhere)
• Jag kommer tillbaka hem (I am going back home)

Adverbs of frequency

Now it get's more complicated, some of the adverbs that express how often something happens (frequency) are more flexible in terms of where we can place them. For example many of them can be put in the sentences adverb position.  Below are a few examples:

• Lucia går ofta till gymmet på lördagar. (Lucia goes frequently to the cinema on Saturdays)
• Ibland går Lucia till gymmet på lördagar.(Sometimes Lucia goes to the gym on saturdays)

Some adverbs are more tricky than others, alltid (always) and aldrig (never). They seem like sentences adverb because they are placed in the sentence adverb position. Have a look at this:

• Lucia går alltid till gymmet på lördagar.(Lucia always go to the gym on Saturdays)
• På lördagar går Lisa alltid  till gymmet. (On Saturdays Lucia always go to the gym)
   

Adverbs of sentences

Do you know how to tell if an adverb is a ''sentence adverb''? well it's very simple, they are just adverbs which get to change the mood of the whole sentence. Let's have a look at it in more details.

• Paul jobbar övertid. (Paul is working overtime) - This is an example of a plain statement.
• Paul jobbar inte övertid. (Paul does not work overtime) - In this case the adverb is changing the whole meaning. 
• Paul jobbar kanske övertid.. (Paul might work overtime) - In this case the adverb has changed the meaning and is making us wonder if Paul will work overtime.

Adverbs have a very important role in the Swedish language they will help you contruct sentences the right way and expand your vocabulary. Once you are done with learning and understanding them, go and check the rest of the Swedish course for beginners.