{"id":8409,"date":"2019-12-10T23:22:35","date_gmt":"2019-12-10T23:22:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/?p=8409"},"modified":"2019-12-10T23:22:35","modified_gmt":"2019-12-10T23:22:35","slug":"swedish-short-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/swedish-short-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"Swedish Short Answers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Lena Granefelt “Workplace Environment” \/ Image Bank Sweden<\/p><\/div>\n

Today I\u2019d like to focus on Swedish kortsvar<\/em>, or short answer format. This comes into play when answering yes or no questions and uses an inverted structure. Essentially, it’s the “yes, I do” or “no, I do not” of Swedish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are a few different ways of answering questions in Swedish. The first way is to more or less repeat what you heard, adding a \u201cja\u201d or \u201cnej\u201d Till exempel:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bor du i Ume\u00e5? <\/span><\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Do you live in Ume\u00e5?
\n<\/span>Ja, jag bor i Ume\u00e5.\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Yes, I live in Ume\u00e5.
\n<\/span>Nej, jag bor inte i Ume\u00e5.<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0No, I do not live in Ume\u00e5.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The first option is great but then there is the <\/span>kortsvar<\/span><\/i>, or short answer. In my experience, this is almost a more common way to answer yes and no questions among native speakers. Rather than repeating the verb used in the question, you substitute it for g\u00f6r <\/em>(do).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Talar du isl\u00e4ndska?\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Do you speak Icelandic?
\n<\/span>Ja, det g\u00f6r jag.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Yes, I do.
\n<\/span>Nej, det g\u00f6r jag inte. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 No, I do not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cyklar du till jobbet?\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 Do you ride your bike to work?
\n<\/span>Ja, det g\u00f6r jag.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Yes, I do.
\n<\/span>Nej, det g\u00f6r jag inte.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 No, I don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, instead of repeating the original verb cyklar<\/em>, we use g\u00f6r<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I often tell my students that it\u2019s sort of the \u201cYup, I do\u201d or \u201cNope, I don\u2019t.\u201d It’s quick, straightforward and slightly less cumbersome than repeating the whole sentence. Read this post by Marcus for more on<\/span> Answering Yes and No Questions in Swedish<\/span><\/a>, where he breaks down the sentence structure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Below are a few more applications of the kortsvar<\/em>, with some practice questions below:<\/span><\/p>\n


\nWith use of the verb \u201c\u00e4r\u201d in your answer:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00c4r du arbetsl\u00f6s nu?\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Are you unemployed now?
\n<\/span>Ja, det \u00e4r jag.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>Yes, I am.
\n<\/span>Nej, det \u00e4r jag inte.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/em>No, I am not.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

To use kortsvar with a helping verb:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ska du cykla till jobbet?\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Will you bike to work?
\n<\/span>Ja, det ska jag g\u00f6ra.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Yes, I will do it.
\n<\/span>Nej, det ska jag inte g\u00f6ra.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em> No, I will not do it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here, you\u2019ll notice that we\u2019ve added a helping verb and then added the infinitive form of g\u00f6ra<\/em> (to do) at the end of the sentence. In true short answers form, we can also drop the g\u00f6ra<\/em> and our answer becomes, Ja, det ska jag,\u00a0 <\/em>Yes, I\u2019m going to.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kan du spela gitarr?<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Can you play guitar?
\n<\/span>Ja, det kan jag.\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Yes, I can.
\n<\/span>Nej, det kan jag inte.\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 No, I cannot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you have a question that is already negated in Swedish with an inte <\/em>(not), or aldrig <\/em>(never), a positive answer should include jo<\/em> instead of ja.<\/em> Jo<\/em> works well with the<\/span> kortsvar<\/span><\/i> when someone is asking a question in which your answer states a contrary fact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Till exempel:\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Kommer du inte till jobbet? \u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Aren\u2019t you coming to work?
\n<\/span>Jo, det g\u00f6r jag.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Yes, I am (indeed).
\n<\/span>Nej, det g\u00f6r jag inte.\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 No, I am not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJo\u201d is used here to emphasize that yes, \u201cI am <\/span>indeed <\/span><\/i>coming to work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Har han aldrig varit pa Gotland?<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Has he never been to Gotland?<\/em>
\n<\/span>Jo, det har han.<\/em> <\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Yes, he has.\u00a0<\/em>
\n<\/span>Nej, det har han inte.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 No, he hasn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

You can use kortsvar<\/em> when answering questions using past tense as well! Till exempel:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Arbetade du ig\u00e5r?<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0Did you work yesterday?
\nJa, det gjorde jag.\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Yes, I did.
\n<\/span>Nej, det gjorde jag inte.\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0No, I did not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bakade du kanelbullar imorse?<\/em>\u00a0 Did you bake cinnamon buns this morning?
\n<\/span>Ja, det gjorde jag. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Yes, I did.
\n<\/span>Nej, det gjorde jag inte.\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 No, I did not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ready to practice?! Answer each question with both a yes and<\/strong> a no statement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. L\u00e4ser du p\u00e5 kv\u00e4llen?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. K\u00f6r du bil?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. R\u00f6ker du?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Vill du \u00e5ka till Sverige?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Talar du inte engelska?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Dricker du inte kaffe?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. Var du ledig ig\u00e5r ocks\u00e5?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  8. Sn\u00f6ade det i Falun ig\u00e5r?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  9. Ska ni bes\u00f6ka dina f\u00f6r\u00e4ldrar n\u00e4sta sommar?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  10. Hade du en fr\u00e5ga till l\u00e4raren?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  11. M\u00e5ste du jobba sent ikv\u00e4ll?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  12. K\u00f6pte du ingen mat till mig?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  13. Har Greta inte pratat med Micke \u00e4n?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  14. \u00a0Gillar du inte \u00f6l?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  15. Bor du inte i en l\u00e4genhet? <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

    Today I\u2019d like to focus on Swedish kortsvar, or short answer format. This comes into play when answering yes or no questions and uses an inverted structure. Essentially, it’s the “yes, I do” or “no, I do not” of Swedish.\u00a0 There are a few different ways of answering questions in Swedish. The first way is…<\/p>\n

    Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":168,"featured_media":8410,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[6,3079,13],"tags":[530965,7744,364872,3521],"class_list":["post-8409","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grammar","category-swedish-language","category-vocabulary","tag-short-answers","tag-swedish-grammar","tag-swedish-language","tag-word-order"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t