[Swedish, basically]   

Friday, September 21, 2007

Swedish words spelt the same way in English

...and that also mean the same thing :)

Arm
Band (as in a rock band)
Bank
Finger
Funk
Information
Idiot
Lust
Monitor
Monster
Ombudsman
Park
Pedal
Pilot
Position
Post
Poster
Process
Ring
Situation
Social
Smart
Smorgasbord (Smörgåsbord with Swedish spelling)
Station
Stress
Student
Tradition
Under


Do you know any words that I can add to this list? Leave a comment! :)

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Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Var & Vart

Var and vart is used in questions. It means where, but in different ways.
Say you wanted to know where you and your friends were going (a location).

Vart ska vi gå nu?
Where shall we go now?

In this case you should use "vart" because theres' activity involved in the question. You're asking about where you're going; wherever it is, you're *going* to get there.

"Var" is used in questions that asks where a certain thing is located:

Var är min strumpa?
Where is my sock?

Therefore, "Var" is used in questions about something static, not moving from its place.

Most swedes are lazy with these two words, they only use "Vart" in both cases which is wrong. I don't know what's up with them people :)

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Saturday, September 8, 2007

Att & Som

Roughly translated, both att and som means that.
But they are different in one way,

Att is used in questions or statements that refers to possible or definite outcomes. "Is this going to happen?", "Will he make it?", "This is what we'll do." and so on.

Tror du att han klarar av det?
Do you think that he will make it?


In parts:

Tror du att - do you think that
han klarar av det - he will make it


Som on the other hand is a word to use when you're talking or asking about a subject, a place or an action, but not any kind of question. For example, questions with a request doesn't apply: "Could you fetch me my towel?". Instead, sentences like "There's that girl who won the game last night", and "Is that the dog who bit you?", "The man who would be king".
I hope you understand what I mean, because it is very difficult for me to explain.

Är det den där skivan som du så gärna ville ha?
Is that the album that you wanted so badly?


In parts:

Är det den där - Is that the
skivan - album
som du - that you
så gärna ville ha - wanted so badly

But the words kommer att together means will or going to, gonna:

Jag kommer att köpa en bil idag
I will buy a car today or
I'm going to buy a car today


I hope all this made sense!
Til next time, see you!

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