Talking about the Future
In this lesson you'll learn how to talk about events or actions that will happen in the future. In Swedish, there are a few different ways to talk about the future, and these are covered in the next few sections.
A summary of how to conjugate regular verbs is also included.
This lesson also includes a conversation in Swedish to help you improve your conversational skills. This conversation is about two people planning a trip go Gothenburg, and so you'll see plenty of examples of how to talk about future events in Swedish.
Using the Helper Verb Ska
One way to talk about the future is to use the present tense of the helper verb skola, which is ska, along with the the infinitive of the main verb. It's one of a few verbs in Swedish that do not end in r in the present tense. Using ska to indicate the future is often used when there is intention behind the action.
The following examples show how to use ska to talk about events that will happen in the future.
Examples
| Jag ska äta mat senare. | I'll eat food later. |
| Jag ska äta middag klockan fem. | I am going to eat dinner at seven. |
| Han ska resa till Frankrike nästa vecka. | He will travel to France next week. |
| Jag ska köpa en ny bil. | I'll buy a new car. |
| Hon ska börja på universitetet nästa år. | She'll start university next year. |
Using Kommer att
Another way to talk about the future is to use the verb phrase kommer att plus the infinitive of the main verb. This is often used when making predictions about what will happen in the future.
Examples
| Det kommer att regna imorgon. | It's going to rain tomorrow. |
| Han kommer att bli glad när han hör nyheten. | He will be happy when he hears the news. |
| Han kommer att läsa en bok. | He is going to read a book. |
| Han kommer att bli en bra lärare. | He'll be a good teacher |
Using the Present Tense
Often the present tense can be used to talk about the future when an expression of time that indicates the future is included. The context provided by words like imorgon (tomorrow), nästa vecka (next week), or på fredag (on Friday) makes it clear that a future event is being spoken about.
Here are some common Swedish time adverbs and phrases that indicate the future:
- Imorgon – tomorrow
- Nästa vecka – next week
- Nästa månad – next month
- På fredag – on Friday
- Snart – soon
- Senare – later
Examples
| Imorgon flyger vi till Stockholm. | We're flying to Stockhole tomorrow. |
| Jag reser till Spanien nästa vecka. | I'm traveling to Spain next week. |
| Vi ses imorgon. | I'll see you tomorrow. (We see ourselves tomorrow.) |
Verb Summary
Here is a summary of Swedish regular verbs. Regular verbs in Swedish can be classified as verbs that append ar to stem of the verb to form the present tense and verbs that form the present tense by adding er to the end of the stem of the verb. The following table shows how to conjugate ar verbs.
| att kalla | to call |
| kalla | imperative as in call me! |
| kallar | present tense |
| kallade | past tense |
| har kallat | has/have called |
| hade kallat | had called |
| ska kalla | will call |
| skulle kalla | would call |
The following table shows how to conjugate regular er verbs.
| att stänga | to close |
| stäng | imperative as in close it! |
| stänger | present tense |
| stängde | past tense |
| har stängt | has/have closed |
| hade stängt | had closed |
| ska stänga | will close |
| skulle stänga | would close |
To make a negative statement add inte after the verb. To make a question, put the subject of the sentence after the verb.
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Swedish Verbs
Here is a list of some more useful Swedish verbs.
| gå in | enter, go in |
| hoppa | jump |
| regna | rain |
| kasta | throw |
| komma ihåg | remember |
| landa | land |
| lägga sig ner | lie down |
| lämna | leave |
| mena | mean |
| peka | point |
| plocka upp | pick up |
| röra | touch, stir |
| skynda sig | hurry |
| skratta | laugh |
| stiga på | get in, enter |
| stoppa | stop |
| svara | answer |
| tacka | thank |
| titta | look |
| titta på | look at, watch |
| visa | show |
| önska | wish |
Examples
| Jag ska visa dig. | I'll show you. |
| Jag önskar att det var sant. | I wish it was true. |
| Pojken stannar upp och tittar ut över havet. | The boy stops and looks at the ocean. |
| Hon går in i skolan. | She enters the school. |
| Jag kastar nycklarna till dig nu. | I'll throw the keys to you now. |
| Emma skrattar och stänger sedan dörren. | Emma laughs and closes the door. |
| Om jag hade tillräckligt med pengar skulle jag köpa en ny dator. | If I had enough money, I would buy a new computer. |
| Jag skulle gå till stranden om det inte regnade. | I would go to the beach if it wasn't raining. |
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Conversations
Here is a conversation between three friends who are making plans to visit Gothenburg while enjoying lunch in a cozy cafe. There are many examples in the conversation of using Swedish verbs to indicate future actions. The Swedish helper verb skulle is also used in the conversation to indicate conditional statements. Skulle is used very similar to how 'would' is used in English.
Vacation Plans
| Semesterplaner | Vacation plans |
|---|---|
| Matt: Det känns verkligen spännande att vi ska åka till Göteborg snart! | Matt: It's really exciting that we're going to Gothenburg soon! |
| Nils: Ja, jag ser verkligen fram emot det! Göteborg har ju en så rik kultur med sin gamla hamn och de mysiga kvarteren som Haga. | Nils: Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it! Gothenburg has such a rich culture with its old harbor and the cozy neighborhoods like Haga. |
| Erik: Verkligen. Jag har läst mycket om stadens kulturarv och gatukonst – det ska bli kul att se både de historiska delarna och den moderna sidan. Tänker ni att vi ska ta en guidad tur någon gång? | Erik: Definitely. I've read a lot about the city's cultural heritage and street art—it will be fun to see both the historical parts and the modern side. Do you think we should take a guided tour at some point? |
| Matt: Det låter som en bra idé. En tur kanske hjälper oss att se de dolda pärlorna i staden. Och självklart måste vi besöka Feskekôrka för att njuta av lite färsk skaldjur! | Matt: That sounds like a good idea. A tour might help us discover the hidden gems of the city. And of course, we must visit Feskekôrka to enjoy some fresh seafood! |
| Nils: Absolut, och jag skulle även vilja kolla in några av stadens små butiker och caféer. Kanske något lokalt hantverk eller en mysig fikapaus vid vattnet? | Nils: Absolutely, and I'd also like to check out some of the city's small shops and cafés. Maybe pick up some local crafts or just enjoy a cozy coffee break by the water? |
| Erik: Precis, Göteborgs caféer är kända för sin avslappnade stämning. Vi borde definitivt lägga in en dag för att bara promenera och upptäcka staden i egen takt. | Erik: Exactly, Gothenburg's cafés are known for their relaxed atmosphere. We should definitely set aside a day to just wander around and explore the city at our own pace. |
| Matt: Nu undrar jag: var ska vi bo? Jag föredrar nog något nära centrum så att det är lätt att ta sig runt. | Matt: Now I'm wondering, where should we stay? I prefer something near the city center so that it's easy to get around. |
| Nils: Jag har funderat på ett Airbnb i de centrala delarna, kanske i Majorna eller Linnéstaden. Det verkar mysigt och samtidigt prisvärt. | Nils: I've been thinking about an Airbnb in the central areas—maybe in Majorna or Linnéstaden. It seems cozy and at the same time affordable. |
| Erik: Det är ett bra alternativ. Men vi skulle ju även kunna överväga ett litet boutiquehotell nära Avenyn om vi vill ha lite extra komfort och en lite annorlunda upplevelse. | Erik: That’s a good option. But we could also consider a small boutique hotel near Avenyn if we want a bit more comfort and a slightly different experience. |
| Matt: Sant. Vi kanske ska kolla upp både alternativen och läsa lite recensioner innan vi bestämmer oss. Jag tror att vi kan hitta något som passar allas preferenser. | Matt: True. Maybe we should check both options and read some reviews before deciding. I think we can find something that meets all our preferences. |
| Nils: Helt klart. Och tänk att vi kan kombinera boendet med spännande aktiviteter – kanske en båttur i skärgården eller ett besök på Göteborgs konstmuseum. | Nils: Absolutely. And just imagine—we can combine our accommodation with some exciting activities, like a boat tour in the archipelago or a visit to Gothenburg’s art museum. |
| Erik: Göteborg har liten överflöd av aktiviteter. Oavsett om det gäller kultur, mat eller bara att njuta av stadens atmosfär, tror jag att detta blir en resa vi sent kommer att glömma. | Erik: Gothenburg has an abundance of activities. Whether it's culture, food, or simply enjoying the city's atmosphere, I believe this will be a trip we won't soon forget. |
| Matt: Jag håller med. Det är så kul att planera tillsammans och se hur alla bitar faller på plats. Ska vi beställa lite mer lunch och kolla upp våra alternativ online? | Matt: I agree. It's so fun planning together and watching everything come together. Shall we order a bit more lunch and look up our options online? |
| Nils: Absolut! Låt oss fortsätta planera och låta resan ta form – detta kommer att bli ett riktigt äventyr! | Nils: Absolutely! Let's continue planning and let the trip take shape—this is going to be a real adventure! |
| Erik: Åh, jag längtar redan efter att vi får ge oss ut och uppleva allt Göteborg har att erbjuda. | Erik: Oh, I'm already looking forward to us heading out and experiencing everything Gothenburg has to offer. |