Learn Swedish with Katrin

88. Demonstrative Pronouns (Den här, den där)

How do you say this, that, these and those in Swedish? In this episode, we’ll look at den här, det här, de här, den där, det där and de där. You’ll learn how to choose the right form, why we say den här bilen instead of den här bil, and the difference between här and där. We’ll also take a quick look at denna, detta and dessa, and why you probably don’t need to worry too much about them as a beginner. Study materials and exercises: Learn Swedish Library

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87. Death Vocabulary

This week, we are going to talk about Döden. Death. A little dark, maybe, but also a surprisingly useful vocabulary topic. Swedish, just like many other languages, has several words connected to death that look and sound quite similar, but mean very different things. Dö, död, döda, mörda, mord, mördare… It is very easy to mix them up. So today we are going to sort them out. We are also going to look at some softer ways of talking about death, and a few common expressions. You can download the transcript, vocabulary list, and exercises on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛

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86. Ongoing Action: Håller på att...

How do you say “I’m working” or “I’m eating” in Swedish? Unlike English, Swedish doesn’t have a special -ing form. But we do have some useful ways to talk about actions that are happening right now! In this episode, we’ll look at two common Swedish constructions: hålla på att and sitta och. What’s the difference between Jag jobbar, Jag håller på att jobba and Jag sitter och jobbar? We’ll also learn how to use hålla på med, as well as expressions like stå och vänta and ligga och läsa. And most importantly, when you actually need these constructions and when the ordinary present tense is enough. Study materials and exercises: Learn Swedish Library

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85. Vocabulary Booster: Learn 20 New Words!

Time for a vocabulary boost! In this episode, we’re learning 20 useful Swedish words that you can use all the time in everyday conversations. We’ll learn five verbs like hämta and glömma, five nouns like sak and mål, five adjectives like upptagen and lättad, and five more useful words like kanske, redan and ibland. For each word, we’ll look at what it means and how to actually use it in a Swedish sentence. You don’t have to memorize all 20 at once. Pick a few new ones and start using them! Study materials and exercises: Learn Swedish Library

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84. 5 Most Common Grammar Mistakes

Some Swedish grammar mistakes just seem to stick around, even after you’ve been learning the language for years. So in this episode, we’re looking at five mistakes I hear Swedish learners make all the time. We’ll talk about adjective agreement, the V2 rule and word order in indirect questions. We’ll also look at why it’s den här boken but min bok. These mistakes usually won’t stop people from understanding you, but fixing them can make a big difference if you want to improve your Swedish grammar. Study materials and exercises: Learn Swedish Library

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83. Till, för, åt

Till dig, för dig or åt dig? In English, all three can sometimes be translated as “for you”, but in Swedish they mean different things. In this episode, we’ll look at the difference between these three phrases using lots of everyday examples. We’ll also compare sentences like Jag köpte en present till dig and Jag köpte en present åt dig to see how one little word can completely change the meaning. Study materials and exercises: Learn Swedish Library

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82. Swedish Adverbs

Adverbs are everywhere in Swedish. They tell us how, when, where or how often something happens: snabbt, ofta, imorgon, hemma, gärna… In this episode, we’ll learn some of the most common Swedish adverbs and look at how many adverbs are formed from adjectives. Why does snabb become snabbt, while words like ofta, aldrig and gärna have completely different forms? We’ll also look at where adverbs go in a Swedish sentence and revisit the V2 rule. Why do we say Jag tränar ofta but Ibland tränar jag? Study materials and exercises: Learn Swedish Library

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81. Fruit and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are some of the most useful everyday words you can learn in Swedish. Äpple, banan, jordgubbe, morot, gurka, lök… but what happens when you want to talk about more than one? In this episode, we’ll learn some of the most common fruits and vegetables in Swedish, along with useful words for describing them, like mogen, omogen, färsk, saftig and rutten. We’ll also look at some common plural forms and the difference between mycket and många. Why do we say många äpplen but mycket frukt? Study materials and exercises: Learn Swedish Library

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80. Can You Keep Up?

It’s time for Quiz Week 4! This week, there are no explanations... just Swedish! Listen to the story about Sara helping her friend Emma move to a new apartment and see how much you can understand. Can you follow what’s happening? And how many of the little details can you catch? Don’t worry if you don’t understand every single word, these quiz episodes are meant to be a little challenging! Download the free quiz and find more Learn Swedish episodes here: Learn Swedish Library

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79. Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs are everywhere in Swedish. Att känna sig, att skynda sig, att bestämma sig, att lära sig… But when should you use mig, dig, sig, oss or er? In this episode, we’ll go through how Swedish reflexive verbs work, some of the most common verbs you need to learn, and mistakes to avoid... like ska ni gifta sig? You’ll also learn how a reflexive pronoun can completely change the meaning of a sentence, as in hon lär henne svenska vs. hon lär sig svenska. Study materials and exercises: Learn Swedish Library

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78. Polite Phrases (That Aren’t Stiff)

Idag ska vi prata om artighet. Today, we are going to talk about politeness! How do you ask for something politely? How do you say please? What is the difference between ursäkta and förlåt? And how polite do you actually need to be? ‘Cause I have noticed something among people who learn Swedish: you are often way too polite. Or… perhaps polite is the wrong word to use. You’re just very very formal. And I think that’s SFI’s and DuoLingo’s fault. I think they teach very formal language, which makes you sound kinda weird in everyday life here in Sweden. If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by joining to the Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud! Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included. Join: https://www.patreon.com/c/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛

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77. Verb + Att + Verb

Den här veckan ska vi prata om verb + att + verb. This week, we are going to talk about verb + att + verb. We use this structure in sentences like Jag gillar att läsa, I like to read, and Jag glömde att köpa mjölk, I forgot to buy milk. If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud! Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included: https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛

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76. In the Wild: Emergencies

Today's topic is one that we all hope we'll never have to use. But if the situation ever does happen, knowing just a few key phrases can make a huge difference. We're talking about emergencies and calling 112, Sweden's emergency number. Of course, emergency operators in Sweden speak English as well. But for the sake of the episode, let's assume you need to speak Swedish. If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud! Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included: https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛

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75. How to Explain Things In a Simple Way

Explaining things in a new language can sometimes feel like “the final boss.” A challenge that requires a huge vocabulary and loads of little words to connect one idea with another. Sure, you might be missing the very specific vocabulary for your job, hobby, or something else you’re trying to explain. But in this week’s episode, I’m going to teach you the recurring vocabulary that can be used in all explanations! If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud! Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included: https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛

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74. When You Can’t Think of a Word

In this week’s episode, we’re going to talk about something that happens to every single language learner… You’re speaking Swedish. You’re in the middle of a sentence. Everything is going well. And then suddenly… your brain just stops. What can you say to buy some time? What can you say when you don't know the word? Let's find out! If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud! Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included: https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛

73. Summer in Swedish: Looking back

🌸 This summer, we are going to focus on writing, or journaling if you will. Once a week, on Sundays perhaps, I want to encourage you to sit down and do these journaling exercises in Swedish. 🌸 Today, we’re going to reflect a little on the summer that has passed. What happened? How did it feel? What do you remember? What was good, difficult, relaxing, fun, disappointing, or unexpected? If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud! Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included: https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛

72. Summer in Swedish: Something I didn’t like

🌸 This summer, we are going to focus on writing, or journaling if you will. Once a week, on Sundays perhaps, I want to encourage you to sit down and do these journaling exercises in Swedish. 🌸 So far, we’ve talked about future plans, small summer moments, and special places. But today, we’re going to do something a little different. We’re going to talk about something you didn’t like. If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud! Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included: https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛

71. Summer in Swedish: A Smultronställe

🌸 This summer, we are going to focus on writing, or journaling if you will. Once a week, on Sundays perhaps, I want to encourage you to sit down and do these journaling exercises in Swedish. 🌸 Today, I want to know all about your "smultronställe". A special place that makes you feel at peace, that you love returning to again and again. If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud! Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included: https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛

70. Summer in Swedish: One small moment

🌸 This summer, we are going to focus on writing, or journaling if you will. Once a week, on Sundays perhaps, I want to encourage you to sit down and do these journaling exercises in Swedish. 🌸 Today, we’re going to look at the past. We’re going to talk about one small moment from your summer so far. If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud! Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included: https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛

69. Summer in Swedish: This is my summer

🌸 This summer, we are going to focus on writing, or journaling if you will. Once a week, on Sundays perhaps, I want to encourage you to sit down and do these journaling exercises in Swedish. 🌸 Today we’re going to talk about your upcoming summer. Not what you have done, but what you are going to do. If you want to start speaking Swedish, join us on Discord by signing up for Speak Swedish with Katrin on Patreon. This is the perfect setting to start producing Swedish sentences out loud! Your Learn Swedish (and Slow Swedish) subscription is included: https://www.patreon.com/slowswedish/membership Browse all episodes here: https://slowswedish.com/ Happy learning! 💛