One of the first things we learn as new language learners is the present tense.\u00a0 It\u2019s incredibly useful and allows us to describe exactly what we are doing, right now.\u00a0 Of course, in everyday conversation, describing what we are doing right now is not used as much as a first year Swedish learner might like. Think about it, aside from those phone calls from your parents asking what you\u2019re doing, how often do you actually tell someone that you are playing basketball. Chances are the person asking you that is there with you and is well aware of that fact.<\/p>\n
Luckily, there are other useful grammatical forms to help us describe what we are doing. Or what we have done. Or what we are going to do.\u00a0 Let\u2019s focus on what we are going to do. The future.<\/p>\n
First, the tricky part.\u00a0 We can actually use the present tense to describe the future.\u00a0 I know, but the present is the present.\u00a0 But in Swedish it can also be the future. But this is only if there is a specific time period on the future that is referred to. For example: Imorgon \u00e5ker jag hem.\u00a0 \u201c\u00c5ker\u201d is in the present tense, but we know it is a future possibility because of the use of \u201cimorgon,\u201d tomorrow.<\/p>\n
You can also use a future form when you are relatively positive that something will happen.\u00a0 This form simply uses the word \u201cska\u201d plus the infinitive of the next verb.\u00a0 For example: Jag ska plugga. Or: Jag ska inte l\u00e4sa boken.\u00a0 In these examples, it is almost certain that I will study but that I will not read the book.<\/p>\n
Note that when we want to put this in the negative, just put \u201cinte\u201d between your helping verb, \u201cska,\u201d and your infinitive verb.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re planning on doing something in the future, use \u201ct\u00e4nker.\u201d \u201cT\u00e4nker\u201d is used just like \u201cska\u201d in the sense that you just need to add the infinitive at the end of the verb. Let\u2019s look at some examples of things we may be planning to do: Jag t\u00e4nker resa till Sverige n\u00e4sta sommar.\u00a0 Or: Han t\u00e4nker inte l\u00e4ra sig svenska.\u00a0 In these examples then, I am planning on traveling to Sweden next summer, it is not definite but very possible. \u00a0In our negated sentence, he is not planning on learning Swedish. Things could change for him, but we aren\u2019t sure.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll notice again that \u201ctanker\u201d is followed by an infinitive verb, or \u201cinte\u201d and then an infinitive verb if we are negating the sentence.<\/p>\n
And finally, \u201ckommer att.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cKommer att\u201d is quite wishy washy in terms of the future sense.\u00a0 It tends to be used with predictions. Sports teams winning, snow falling, sun shining, etc.\u00a0 The prediction can usually be checked up on, but we can\u2019t be sure what is going to happen when we make that prediction.\u00a0 For example, Det kommer att regna imorgon.\u00a0 Or: Detroit Red Wings kommer inte att vinna ikv\u00e5ll. In this example, I think it is going to rain tomorrow. I can\u2019t be sure, but I should be able to check.\u00a0 And in the negated sentence, I don\u2019t think that the Red Wings are going to win.<\/p>\n
Note here that \u201ckommer att\u201d follows often follows the verb \u201ctror,\u201d to believe, as in Jag tror att du kommer att l\u00e4ra dig svenska.<\/p>\n
Feel free to tell us what you\u2019re going to do in the future in the comment section below!<\/p>\n
Good luck everyone!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of the first things we learn as new language learners is the present tense.\u00a0 It\u2019s incredibly useful and allows us to describe exactly what we are doing, right now.\u00a0 Of course, in everyday conversation, describing what we are doing right now is not used as much as a first year Swedish learner might like…<\/p>\n