Meaning
To receive a reply.
Cultural Background
The '1177' digital healthcare portal is where most Swedes 'får svar' on medical tests. It's a central part of the modern Swedish welfare experience. Punctuality in replies is highly valued. Not giving an answer ('att inte ge svar') is seen as unprofessional, but 'waiting for an answer' is a common topic of polite office small talk. Swedes may use 'ghosting' or silence to avoid saying 'no' directly to social invitations, which can be confusing for foreigners waiting to 'få svar'. Swedish authorities (like Skatteverket) have strict timelines for when you should 'få svar' on applications, reflecting the value of 'rättssäkerhet' (legal certainty).
The 'På' Rule
Always use 'på' when you mention what the answer is about. 'Svar på frågan', 'svar på mejlet', 'svar på provet'.
Don't say 'Ta svar'
Even if your native language uses 'take', Swedish uses 'få'. Using 'ta' sounds like you are physically grabbing a piece of paper.
Meaning
To receive a reply.
The 'På' Rule
Always use 'på' when you mention what the answer is about. 'Svar på frågan', 'svar på mejlet', 'svar på provet'.
Don't say 'Ta svar'
Even if your native language uses 'take', Swedish uses 'få'. Using 'ta' sounds like you are physically grabbing a piece of paper.
Use 'Besked' for Jobs
When waiting for a job offer, using 'få besked' sounds more natural and professional than 'få svar'.
The 1177 Portal
If you live in Sweden, you will 'få svar' on almost all medical things through the 1177.se website.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of 'få'.
Jag ______ svar på mitt mejl igår.
'Igår' (yesterday) requires the past tense 'fick'.
Which preposition is correct?
Har du fått svar ____ din fråga?
In Swedish, you get an answer 'på' (on) a question.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Varför är du arg? B: Jag har väntat i tre dagar men jag har inte _________.
The context implies the person is waiting for a reply they haven't received.
Match the Swedish phrase with the English meaning.
Match the pairs.
These are different nuances of receiving information.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Svar vs. Besked
Practice Bank
4 exercisesJag ______ svar på mitt mejl igår.
'Igår' (yesterday) requires the past tense 'fick'.
Har du fått svar ____ din fråga?
In Swedish, you get an answer 'på' (on) a question.
A: Varför är du arg? B: Jag har väntat i tre dagar men jag har inte _________.
The context implies the person is waiting for a reply they haven't received.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are different nuances of receiving information.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsIt is neutral and can be used in any context, from texting a friend to writing a formal business email.
Yes, adding 'ett' makes it 'receive AN answer'. Without 'ett', it's more like 'receive a reply' in general.
'Svar' is a general reply. 'Besked' usually implies a decision or a piece of information you were specifically waiting for to move forward.
You say 'Jag fick inget svar' or 'Jag fick inte svar'.
It's just the standard prepositional logic in Swedish. Think of the answer as sitting 'on top' of the question.
Yes, if you call someone and they don't pick up, you can say 'Jag fick inget svar'.
Yes, 'fick' is the simple past. For 'have received', use 'har fått'.
It's an idiom meaning to get a clever or sharp retort back after saying something.
Yes, researchers often say they want to 'få svar på sina frågor' through their experiments.
Only in very formal writing. Don't use it when talking to friends.
Say 'Har du fått svar?'.
You say 'Jag fick många svar'. The word 'svar' doesn't change in the plural indefinite.
Related Phrases
få svar på tal
specialized formTo get a sharp retort
ge svar
contrastTo give an answer
vänta på svar
similarTo wait for an answer
få besked
similarTo get a decision/notification
utebli svar
contrastAn answer is missing/fails to appear
