Svenska → English
The future: ska and the present
Talking about plans with ska and the infinitive (Jag ska resa), the present with a time word (I morgon reser vi), questions and inte with ska (Vad ska du göra i helgen? Jag ska inte arbeta), and choosing between ska and the present for a plan on Friday.
Ska is followed by the infinitive and expresses what someone is going to do: a plan, an intention or a decision. It has one form for every person: jag ska, du ska, hon ska, vi ska, de ska. The infinitive is the dictionary form, such as resa, träffa, flyga or spela, never the present in -r (reser, träffar). A time word is usually added: i morgon, i kväll, nästa vecka, på fredag, på kvällen. A weekday or a part of the day takes på, while nästa vecka takes no preposition.
- Emma ska simma på söndag.
- Vi ska äta frukost klockan åtta.
The English speaker's trap: English "going to" is not expressed with gå. Vi går äta is wrong; a plan is Vi ska äta.
Show the answer Anna / resa / i / morgon / ska Anna ska resa i morgon.Show the answer
Show the answer Erik ska ___ (träffa) en vän i kväll. träffaShow the answer
The present is used for the future when a time word makes the time clear: I morgon reser vi. A time word at the start of the sentence is followed by the verb and then the subject, so the verb stays second. With the time word at the end the subject comes first: Vi reser i morgon. A timetable or a fact about the calendar is also in the present: Bussen går klockan fyra. I dag är det fredag.
| Infinitive | Present |
|---|---|
| resa, börja, arbeta, studera | reser, börjar, arbetar, studerar |
| titta, gå, ha, vara, komma | tittar, går, har, är, kommer |
The English speaker's traps: Swedish has no form for "I am working" or "I am meeting", so the present is used (Jag träffar Sara), and the present always ends in -r: vi studerar, never vi studera. With a time word first, the subject does not come before the verb: På måndag arbetar jag, never På måndag jag arbetar.
Show the answer I morgon ___ (resa) vi till Malmö. reserShow the answer
Show the answer träffar / på / jag / Erik / fredag På fredag träffar jag Erik.Show the answer
In a question ska comes before the subject: Ska du resa? A question word stands first, followed by ska and the subject: Vad ska du göra i helgen? The question words are vad (what), vem (who), när (when), var (where) and hur (how). A short answer repeats ska after det: Ska ni äta här? – Ja, det ska vi. Inte comes after ska and before the infinitive: Jag ska inte vänta. The verb after ska inte is still the infinitive: vänta, läsa, städa, arbeta.
- Ska ni resa i sommar?
- Vem ska hon träffa?
- Jag ska inte sova här.
As with an English auxiliary (Can you come?), ska comes before the subject, and no word like do is added.
Show the answer göra / du / vad / ska / helgen / i Vad ska du göra i helgen?Show the answer
Show the answer ___ ska du träffa i kväll? – Anna. VemShow the answer
With a time word, a plan can often be expressed both ways: Jag ska resa på fredag and Jag reser på fredag. The present is used for an arrangement or a fixed time (Bussen går klockan fyra); ska is used for an intention or a decision. Without a time word or a context that points ahead, the present is understood as now, so a plan is expressed with ska: Nu ska jag sova.
| Present | With ska |
|---|---|
| reser | ska resa |
| äter | ska äta |
| börjar | ska börja |
| lagar | ska laga |
| flyger | ska flyga |
| tränar | ska träna |
The English speaker's trap: ska expresses a plan or an intention, not every English "will". A prediction can be in the present with a time word: I morgon regnar det (it will rain tomorrow).
Show the answer Jag ___ (resa) till Lund på fredag. reserShow the answer
Show the answer “I am going to phone Anna now.” Jag ___ ringa Anna nu. skaShow the answer
This part mixes ska with the infinitive, the present with a time word, questions and inte with ska, and the choice between ska and the present. Forms met again: ska inte, kommer, spelar, tränar (present), städa (infinitive), vad, du.
Show the answer ska / Kate / ett / museum / besöka / på / söndag Kate ska besöka ett museum på söndag.Show the answer
Show the answer På torsdag ___ (komma) Emma till Malmö. kommerShow the answer
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