B1 Gerunds & Infinitives 5 min read ふつう

Infinitive After Verbs

Use 'att' for most verb pairs, but skip it after modals like 'can', 'will', or 'must'.
学習済みにする
Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Learn when to use 'att' (to) between two verbs and when to leave it out for natural Swedish flow.

  • Modal verbs like 'kan', 'vill', and 'ska' never take 'att' (e.g., Jag kan simma).
  • Most main verbs like 'hoppas', 'lovar', and 'försöker' require 'att' (e.g., Jag hoppas att vinna).
  • The negative 'inte' usually sits between the two verbs (e.g., Jag lovar att inte skrika).
Verb 1 + (att) + Verb 2 (infinitive) 🔗

Overview

## Overview: The Glue of Swedish Sentences
In Swedish, just like in English, we often want to chain two actions together. You might want to say you *want to eat*, *hope to stay*, or *must go*. The way we connect these two verbs depends entirely on the first verb in the chain.
This is a fundamental part of Swedish syntax that separates beginners from intermediate speakers.
At the B1 level, you are moving beyond simple modal verbs like kan (can) and vill (want). You are starting to use more complex verbs like planerar (plan), vägrar (refuse), and lyckas (succeed). Understanding whether to insert the little word att (to) is crucial for sounding natural.
If you include att where it doesn't belong, you sound robotic; if you omit it where it's required, your sentences feel incomplete and 'choppy' to a native ear.
## How to Form Verb Chains
The basic structure is: Subject + Verb 1 + (att) + Verb 2 (Infinitive).
  1. 1Modals (No 'att'): Verbs like ska, vill, kan, måste, bör, and får are followed directly by the infinitive.
Example: *Jag kan tala svenska.*
  1. 1Standard Verbs (With 'att'): Most other verbs require att.
Example: *Jag älskar att läsa.*
  1. 1Negation: This is where it gets tricky. If you want to negate the whole sentence, inte goes after the first verb: *Jag vill inte äta.* If you want to negate only the second action, inte usually goes after att: *Jag lovar att inte berätta.*
  1. 1Questions: Follow standard V2 word order. The first verb moves to the front: *Hoppas du att vinna?*
## Real-World Usage: From Texting to Interviews
In everyday life, you'll encounter these patterns constantly.
Texting/Social Media: You'll often see the 'att' dropped in very casual writing after verbs like tänka (thinking of/intending to). *Tänkte (att) dra till gymmet.*
Job Interviews: You need to use formal structures to express goals. *Jag hoppas att kunna bidra till teamet.* (I hope to be able to contribute to the team). Notice how we can even chain three verbs!
Travel: When asking for permission or help. *Får jag fråga en sak?* (May I ask something? - No 'att' because 'får' is modal).
Food/Ordering: *Jag skulle vilja beställa...* (I would like to order...). Here, 'vilja' is the infinitive following the auxiliary 'skulle'.
## Common Pitfalls to Avoid
The most frequent mistake for English speakers is adding att after modal verbs because we use 'to' in English for some equivalents (like 'have to' or 'ought to'). In Swedish, måste and bör never take att.
Another mistake is the 'Double Att' error. Some learners try to say *Jag vill att att simma*, which is incorrect.
Finally, watch out for the verb brukar (usually do). In English, we say 'I used to...', but in Swedish, brukar is treated like a modal-adjacent verb and almost always drops the att in modern usage, though you might see it in very old texts.
## How It's Different From English
In English, we have a mix of 'bare infinitives' (I can go) and 'to-infinitives' (I want to go). Swedish follows a similar logic but the list of verbs in each category differs.
For example, in English, we say 'I help you to cook' or 'I help you cook'. In Swedish, hjälpa almost always takes att: *Jag hjälper dig att laga mat.*
Another major difference is the 'Gerund' (the -ing form). English uses 'ing' after verbs like 'enjoy' (I enjoy swimming). Swedish does not have a gerund. You must use the infinitive with 'att': *Jag njuter av att simma.* You cannot say 'Jag njuter simning' in the same way.
## CEFR-Level Explanations
A1: When you use two verbs together, the second one is usually in its basic form (the infinitive). With 'helper' verbs like 'can' (kan), 'want' (vill), and 'will' (ska), you just put the verbs next to each other. Example: 'Jag kan dansa' (I can dance). Don't put anything between them!
A2: As you learn more verbs, you'll see that some need the word 'att' (to) to connect them. Verbs like 'like' (gillar) or 'start' (börjar) need 'att'. Example: 'Jag gillar att läsa' (I like to read). But remember, 'måste' (must) and 'ska' (shall) still don't use 'att'.
B1: At this level, you should distinguish between modal auxiliaries and lexical verbs. Lexical verbs like 'försöka' (try), 'lova' (promise), and 'vägra' (refuse) require the infinitive marker 'att'. Be careful with the placement of 'inte'.
In an infinitive clause, 'inte' usually comes after 'att' if you are negating the second verb specifically: 'Han lovade att inte komma sent'.
B2: Nuance is key here. Some verbs can change meaning slightly or change register depending on the use of 'att'. For instance, 'tänka' without 'att' often means 'intend to', while 'tänka på att' means 'remember to' or 'think about'.
You should also be comfortable with 'raising' constructions where the subject of the infinitive is moved, and how this interacts with passive forms.
C1: Advanced learners must master verbs that take different complements. Some verbs of perception (se, höra) take a bare infinitive to describe a completed action or a process. Furthermore, stylistic choices in formal writing might involve using 'att' in places where it is omitted in speech, or using the 's-infinitive' (passive) in complex verb chains to maintain a formal tone.
C2: Mastery involves navigating archaic or highly literary forms where the infinitive marker might appear in unexpected places for rhythmic or rhetorical effect. One must also understand the historical development of the 'att' particle from the preposition 'at' and how it functions in complex nominalized clauses where the entire infinitive phrase acts as a subject or a predicative complement.

Meanings

This rule governs how two verbs are linked in a sentence when the second verb acts as the object or completion of the first.

1

Modal Construction

Using auxiliary verbs to express necessity, ability, or desire without a particle.

“Jag måste gå nu.”

“Vi ska äta middag.”

2

Intentional/Attitudinal

Verbs expressing hope, promise, or attempt which require the 'att' particle.

“De hoppas att vinna.”

“Han lovade att ringa.”

3

Perception and Motion

Verbs of seeing, hearing, or going that often omit 'att'.

“Jag såg honom komma.”

“Hon hörde dem sjunga.”

Modal vs. Non-Modal Verb Chains

Verb Type Verb 1 (Present) Particle Verb 2 (Infinitive) Example
Modal kan - simma Jag kan simma.
Modal vill - äta Jag vill äta.
Modal ska - resa Jag ska resa.
Standard hoppas att vinna Jag hoppas att vinna.
Standard försöker att läsa Jag försöker att läsa.
Standard lovar att hjälpa Jag lovar att hjälpa.
Standard glömmer att ringa Jag glömmer att ringa.

Spoken vs. Written 'Att'

Verb Written Form Spoken Pronunciation Note
att att å / att Often sounds like a short 'o' sound in speech.
ska skall ska 'Skall' is archaic/very formal.
vill vill vill No change.
måste måste måste / måst Final 'e' often dropped in fast speech.

Reference Table

Reference table for Infinitive After Verbs
Form Structure Example
Affirmative (Modal) S + Modal + Inf Jag kan sjunga.
Affirmative (Standard) S + V1 + att + Inf Jag älskar att sjunga.
Negative (Sentence) S + V1 + inte + (att) + Inf Jag vill inte sjunga.
Negative (Infinitive) S + V1 + att + inte + Inf Jag lovar att inte sjunga.
Question (Modal) Modal + S + Inf? Kan du sjunga?
Question (Standard) V1 + S + att + Inf? Hoppas du att vinna?
Short Answer Ja, det gör jag / Ja, det kan jag Kan du? Ja, det kan jag.

フォーマル度スペクトル

フォーマル
Jag avser att bege mig dit.

Jag avser att bege mig dit. (Travel/Movement)

ニュートラル
Jag planerar att gå dit.

Jag planerar att gå dit. (Travel/Movement)

カジュアル
Jag tänkte dra dit.

Jag tänkte dra dit. (Travel/Movement)

スラング
Jag ska tagga dit.

Jag ska tagga dit. (Travel/Movement)

The Verb Connection Map

Verb 2 (Infinitive)

No 'att' (Modals)

  • kan can
  • vill want
  • ska will
  • måste must

With 'att' (Standard)

  • hoppas hope
  • försöker try
  • lovar promise
  • planerar plan

English vs Swedish Infinitive

English
I want to go Uses 'to'
I can go No 'to'
Swedish
Jag vill gå No 'att'!
Jag hoppas att gå Uses 'att'

Should I use 'att'?

1

Is Verb 1 a Modal (kan, vill, ska, måste, får, bör)?

YES
No 'att'
NO
Check next step
2

Is it a verb of perception (se, höra)?

YES
Usually no 'att'
NO
Use 'att'

Verb Categories

❤️

Desire

  • • vill (no att)
  • • önskar (att)
  • • längtar efter att
💪

Ability

  • • kan (no att)
  • • förmår (att)
  • • lyckas (att)
📝

Obligation

  • • måste (no att)
  • • bör (no att)
  • • behöver (att)
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

Jag kan simma.

I can swim.

2

Vi ska äta nu.

We are going to eat now.

3

Hon vill sova.

She wants to sleep.

4

Får jag gå?

May I go?

1

Jag gillar att läsa böcker.

I like to read books.

2

Han börjar att arbeta klockan åtta.

He starts to work at eight.

3

Vi måste sluta att röka.

We must stop smoking.

4

De lär sig att tala svenska.

They are learning to speak Swedish.

1

Jag försöker att förstå vad du säger.

I am trying to understand what you are saying.

2

Hon lovade att inte berätta hemligheten.

She promised not to tell the secret.

3

Vi planerar att resa till Italien i sommar.

We plan to travel to Italy this summer.

4

Han vägrade att svara på frågan.

He refused to answer the question.

1

Jag föredrar att arbeta hemifrån om det går.

I prefer to work from home if possible.

2

Det verkar inte fungera som det ska.

It doesn't seem to work as it should.

3

Hon påstod sig ha sett ett spöke.

She claimed to have seen a ghost.

4

De riskerar att förlora alla sina pengar.

They risk losing all their money.

1

Regeringen avser att genomföra reformen nästa år.

The government intends to implement the reform next year.

2

Han underlät att informera styrelsen om beslutet.

He failed to inform the board about the decision.

3

Vi tenderar att överskatta vår egen förmåga.

We tend to overestimate our own ability.

4

Hon tycktes ha glömt bort vårt möte helt och hållet.

She seemed to have forgotten our meeting entirely.

1

Det åligger varje medborgare att känna till lagen.

It is the duty of every citizen to know the law.

2

Han lät påskina att han var mer erfaren än han faktiskt var.

He let it be understood that he was more experienced than he actually was.

3

Man bör undvika att dra förhastade slutsatser.

One should avoid drawing hasty conclusions.

4

Det torde vara svårt att bevisa motsatsen.

It ought to be difficult to prove the opposite.

Easily Confused

Infinitive After Verbs 対 Vill vs. Vill att

Learners use 'vill att' for their own actions. 'Vill' + infinitive is for yourself; 'Vill att' + clause is for someone else.

Infinitive After Verbs 対 Tänka vs. Tänka på att

Mixing up 'intending to' with 'remembering to'.

Infinitive After Verbs 対 Brukar vs. Använde

Using 'använde' (used) to mean 'used to'.

よくある間違い

✗

Jag kan att simma.

✓

Jag kan simma.

Modal verbs like 'kan' never take 'att'.
✗

Jag vill att äta.

✓

Jag vill äta.

'Vill' is a modal verb in Swedish.
✗

Jag ska att gå.

✓

Jag ska gå.

'Ska' (will/shall) is a modal.
✗

Måste du att sova?

✓

Måste du sova?

'Måste' is modal.
✗

Jag gillar simma.

✓

Jag gillar att simma.

Non-modal verbs like 'gillar' require 'att'.
✗

Han börjar läsa.

✓

Han börjar att läsa.

'Börja' usually takes 'att' in formal/standard Swedish.
✗

Vi slutar arbeta.

✓

Vi slutar att arbeta.

'Sluta' needs 'att' to connect to an infinitive.
✗

Hon lär sig tala.

✓

Hon lär sig att tala.

'Lär sig' (learns) needs 'att'.
✗

Jag lovar inte att röka.

✓

Jag lovar att inte röka.

If you promise *not to do* something, 'inte' goes after 'att'.
✗

Jag hoppas kunna att simma.

✓

Jag hoppas att kunna simma.

The 'att' belongs to 'hoppas', not 'kunna'.
✗

Han försökte att inte att skratta.

✓

Han försökte att inte skratta.

Don't repeat 'att' after 'inte'.
✗

Jag glömde inte ringa.

✓

Jag glömde inte att ringa.

Even with 'inte', 'glömma' needs 'att'.
✗

Det verkar att vara kallt.

✓

Det verkar vara kallt.

With 'verka' (seem), 'att' is often omitted in modern usage when followed by 'vara'.
✗

Jag såg honom att gå.

✓

Jag såg honom gå.

Verbs of perception (se, höra) take a bare infinitive.
✗

Han bad mig att komma.

✓

Han bad mig komma.

After 'be' (ask/beg), 'att' is often dropped.
✗

Vi lät dem att stanna.

✓

Vi lät dem stanna.

'Låta' (let/allow) never takes 'att'.

Sentence Patterns

Jag kan inte ___.

Jag hoppas att ___ snart.

Det är svårt att ___.

Hon lovade att inte ___ igen.

Real World Usage

Texting a friend constant

Ska vi ses? (Shall we meet?)

Job Interview occasional

Jag hoppas att få arbeta här. (I hope to work here.)

Ordering Food very common

Jag vill beställa en pizza. (I want to order a pizza.)

Doctor's Visit occasional

Du måste sluta att stressa. (You must stop stressing.)

Travel/Directions common

Kan du hjälpa mig att hitta? (Can you help me find [the way]?)

Social Media very common

Älskar att resa! (Love to travel!)

Sign up free to see all examples
🎯

The Modal Shortcut

If you can translate the first verb to an English modal (can, must, shall), you almost certainly don't need 'att'.
⚠️

The 'Want' Trap

Never say 'Jag vill att gå'. This is the #1 mistake for English speakers. It's just 'Jag vill gå'.
💡

Spoken 'Att'

Don't be surprised if you hear 'å' instead of 'att'. It's the same word, just lazy pronunciation!
💬

Polite Requests

Use 'skulle vilja' (would like) instead of 'vill' (want) to sound more polite in shops.

Smart Tips

Stop! Do not use 'att'. These verbs are 'att-allergic'.

Jag vill att fika. → Jag vill fika.

Always include 'att' in writing to ensure your sentence is grammatically complete.

Jag hoppas vinna. → Jag hoppas att vinna.

Put 'inte' right after 'att'. Think of 'att inte' as a single unit.

Jag lovar inte att skrika. → Jag lovar att inte skrika.

Check each pair individually. Modal + Verb 2? No att. Verb 2 + Verb 3? Check if Verb 2 is a modal.

Jag ska försöka sova. → Jag ska försöka att sova.

発音

/ɔ/

The 'Att' reduction

In spoken Swedish, 'att' is almost always pronounced as a short 'å' (like the 'o' in 'sort').

Jag kan SIMMA.

Modal Stress

In a verb chain, the stress usually falls on the second (main) verb, not the modal.

Verb Chain Flow

Jag vill GÅ nu. ↘️

The pitch drops at the end of the infinitive.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Modals are 'Att-phobic' — they run away from the word 'att'!

Visual Association

Imagine the word 'att' as a small bridge. Most verbs need this bridge to reach the next action, but Modal Verbs are superheroes who can just jump across without it.

Rhyme

Vill och kan, ska och får, utan 'att' det bäst går!

Story

Kalle (Kan) and Vera (Vill) went to the park. They didn't bring their dog 'Att' because they wanted to run fast. But their friend Hugo (Hoppas) always brings 'Att' everywhere he goes.

Word Web

attinfinitivehjälpverbmodalpartikelverbkedja

チャレンジ

Write 5 things you 'want to do' today using 'vill' (no att) and 5 things you 'hope to do' using 'hoppas att'.

文化メモ

Using 'att' correctly is a sign of good education and clarity in writing.

In Stockholm slang, 'att' is frequently dropped even after verbs that strictly require it in writing.

Sometimes retains 'att' in places where Sweden-Swedish has started to drop it, sounding slightly more formal.

The Swedish 'att' comes from the Old Norse 'at', which was originally a preposition meaning 'toward' or 'at'.

Conversation Starters

“

Vad brukar du göra på helgerna?

“

Vad planerar du att göra efter kursen?

“

Har du någonsin vägrat att göra något?

“

Vad tenderar folk att glömma bort?

Journal Prompts

Write about your goals for this year. Use 'hoppas att', 'planerar att', and 'vill'.
Describe a time you tried to learn a difficult skill. Use 'försökte att' and 'lyckades att'.
Discuss the pros and cons of working from home. Use 'föredrar att' and 'tenderar att'.
Write a formal letter to a manager refusing a task. Use 'ser mig nödsakad att' and 'avser att'.
Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Choose the correct form to complete the sentence. 選択問題

Jag kan ___ svenska.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tala
'Kan' is a modal verb and does not take 'att'.
Fill in the blank with 'att' or leave it empty (-).

Jag hoppas ___ träffa dig imorgon.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: att
'Hoppas' is a standard verb that requires the infinitive marker.
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Vi måste att gå nu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vi måste gå nu.
'Måste' is a modal verb; remove 'att'.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Building

inte / lovar / jag / att / röka

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag lovar att inte röka.
To negate the action of smoking, 'inte' follows 'att'.
Match the verb with the correct connection. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-No att, 2-Att, 3-No att
Vill and Ska are modals; Försöker is not.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Ska vi gå på bio? B: Nej, jag ___ (prefer to) stanna hemma.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: föredrar att
'Föredra' requires 'att' before the infinitive.
Which verb does NOT belong in the 'No Att' group? Grammar Sorting

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Börjar
'Börjar' requires 'att', while the others are modals.
Translate to Swedish: 'I forgot to call.' 翻訳

I forgot to call.

Answer starts with: Jag...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag glömde att ringa.
'Glömma' requires 'att' and the infinitive 'ringa'.

Score: /8

練習問題

8 exercises
Choose the correct form to complete the sentence. 選択問題

Jag kan ___ svenska.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tala
'Kan' is a modal verb and does not take 'att'.
Fill in the blank with 'att' or leave it empty (-).

Jag hoppas ___ träffa dig imorgon.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: att
'Hoppas' is a standard verb that requires the infinitive marker.
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Vi måste att gå nu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vi måste gå nu.
'Måste' is a modal verb; remove 'att'.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Building

inte / lovar / jag / att / röka

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag lovar att inte röka.
To negate the action of smoking, 'inte' follows 'att'.
Match the verb with the correct connection. Match Pairs

1. Vill, 2. Försöker, 3. Ska

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-No att, 2-Att, 3-No att
Vill and Ska are modals; Försöker is not.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Ska vi gå på bio? B: Nej, jag ___ (prefer to) stanna hemma.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: föredrar att
'Föredra' requires 'att' before the infinitive.
Which verb does NOT belong in the 'No Att' group? Grammar Sorting

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Börjar
'Börjar' requires 'att', while the others are modals.
Translate to Swedish: 'I forgot to call.' 翻訳

I forgot to call.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jag glömde att ringa.
'Glömma' requires 'att' and the infinitive 'ringa'.

Score: /8

よくある質問 (8)

Only if you are followed by a new clause with a different subject, e.g., `Jag vill att du går` (I want you to leave). Never use it for your own action.

In fast speech, it's often reduced to a short `å` sound. In some dialects, it might be dropped entirely after certain verbs like `börja`.

`Ska` is more definite (will/shall), while `tänker` implies intention (thinking of doing). Both take an infinitive, but `tänker` often takes `att` in formal writing.

If negating the whole sentence: `Jag vill inte gå`. If negating just the second verb: `Jag lovar att inte gå`.

Yes, in standard Swedish: `Jag hjälper dig att städa`. In some informal contexts, it is dropped, but it's safer to include it.

`Brukar` is treated as a semi-modal verb in modern Swedish, so the `att` is almost always omitted.

Technically, it's an infinitive marker (partikel), though it originated from a preposition.

Yes! `Jag vill försöka att sova` (I want to try to sleep). The rules apply step-by-step: `vill` (modal) -> no att -> `försöka` (standard) -> att -> `sova`.

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

English high

to + infinitive / bare infinitive

Swedish 'want' (vill) has no 'att', unlike English 'want to'.

German high

zu + Infinitiv

Word order: German puts the infinitive at the end, Swedish keeps it after the first verb.

Spanish moderate

Infinitive with or without prepositions (a, de)

Spanish has many different prepositions (a, de, en) before infinitives; Swedish mostly uses just 'att'.

French moderate

à / de + infinitif

French negation 'ne... pas' surrounds the first verb, while Swedish 'inte' can move.

Japanese low

Verb + koto/no (nominalization)

Japanese uses nominalization; Swedish uses a dedicated infinitive particle.

Chinese none

Serial Verb Construction

Chinese has no infinitive marker or conjugation at all.

Arabic partial

An (أن) + Subjunctive

Arabic requires the second verb to change its ending; Swedish uses a fixed infinitive.

Next
Infinitive as Subject

Related Grammar Rules

B1

Infinitive as Subject

## Overview In Swedish, when you want to talk about an action as a concept—like 'swimming' or 'reading'—you don't use a...
A1

Infinitive Construction

## Overview The infinitive in Swedish is the base form of the verb. When you want to say 'to [verb]', you use the partic...
B1

Gerund-like Structures

## Overview: The Missing '-ing' One of the first things English speakers look for in Swedish is the '-ing' ending. You w...
Was this helpful?

コメント (0)

ログインしてコメント
まだコメントがありません。最初に考えをシェアしましょう！