Top 100 Most Common Swedish Verbs You Need To Know
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Learning the most common Swedish verbs is the fastest way to build your vocabulary.
Verbs are the essential action words that hold every language together.
By mastering the top 100 verbs, you’ll understand the vast majority of everyday Swedish conversations.
I’ve compiled the absolute most essential Swedish verbs you need to start speaking fluently today.
Keep reading to find the complete list and my top recommendations for practicing them.
Table of Contents:
Why learn common verbs first?
You don’t need to know thousands of words to start speaking Swedish.
Native speakers use the same core verbs over and over again in daily life.
When you focus on the most common verbs, you maximize your speaking potential with minimal effort.
Words like vara (to be), ha (to have), and göra (to do) make up a massive percentage of spoken Swedish.
Once you know these foundational verbs, you can easily construct basic sentences.
You can then add nouns and adjectives to these verbs to expand your thoughts.
Best resources for Swedish verbs
You need a reliable system to memorize and practice these action words.
Here are the top tools I recommend for mastering Swedish vocabulary.
- Talk In Swedish is our own platform and the absolute best way to learn Swedish verbs in context.
- Anki is a highly effective digital flashcard app that uses spaced repetition.
- Quizlet is a popular website for creating your own custom verb study lists.
I highly suggest signing up for Talk In Swedish to hear native audio and practice these verbs in real-life scenarios.
The top 100 Swedish verbs
Below is the complete list of the top 100 most common Swedish verbs.
I’ve included the infinitive form, the present tense, and the English translation.
The present tense is very important because Swedish verbs don’t change based on the person speaking.
You use the exact same present tense form for “I”, “you”, “he”, “she”, “we”, and “they”.
| Swedish verb (infinitive) | Present tense | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| vara | är | to be |
| ha | har | to have |
| göra | gör | to do / to make |
| bli | blir | to become / to be |
| säga | säger | to say |
| gå | går | to go / to walk |
| se | ser | to see |
| komma | kommer | to come |
| vilja | vill | to want |
| kunna | kan | to be able / can |
| veta | vet | to know (a fact) |
| ge | ger | to give |
| ta | tar | to take |
| tänka | tänker | to think / to intend |
| tycka | tycker | to think (an opinion) |
| tro | tror | to believe / to think |
| finnas | finns | to exist / to be |
| få | får | to get / to receive |
| börja | börjar | to begin / to start |
| använda | använder | to use |
| titta | tittar | to look |
| jobba | jobbar | to work |
| arbeta | arbetar | to work |
| prata | pratar | to talk |
| tala | talar | to speak |
| skriva | skriver | to write |
| läsa | läser | to read |
| äta | äter | to eat |
| dricka | dricker | to drink |
| sova | sover | to sleep |
| känna | känner | to feel / to know (a person) |
| behöva | behöver | to need |
| betyda | betyder | to mean / to signify |
| försöka | försöker | to try |
| fråga | frågar | to ask |
| svara | svarar | to answer |
| sitta | sitter | to sit |
| stå | står | to stand |
| ligga | ligger | to lie down (location) |
| lägga | lägger | to put / to lay |
| sätta | sätter | to put / to place |
| ställa | ställer | to put / to stand |
| hitta | hittar | to find |
| leta | letar | to look for / to search |
| spela | spelar | to play (game or instrument) |
| leka | leker | to play (like a child) |
| höra | hör | to hear |
| lyssna | lyssnar | to listen |
| bo | bor | to live (reside) |
| leva | lever | to live (be alive) |
| köpa | köper | to buy |
| sälja | säljer | to sell |
| betala | betalar | to pay |
| kosta | kostar | to cost |
| köra | kör | to drive |
| åka | åker | to go (by vehicle) / to travel |
| resa | reser | to travel |
| flytta | flyttar | to move (residence) |
| stanna | stannar | to stay / to stop |
| sluta | slutar | to stop / to finish |
| hända | händer | to happen |
| bruka | brukar | to usually do |
| visa | visar | to show |
| gilla | gillar | to like |
| älska | älskar | to love |
| hata | hatar | to hate |
| förstå | förstår | to understand |
| minnas | minns | to remember |
| glömma | glömmer | to forget |
| lära | lär | to learn / to teach |
| studera | studerar | to study |
| bestämma | bestämmer | to decide |
| hoppas | hoppas | to hope |
| hjälpa | hjälper | to help |
| ringa | ringer | to call (on the phone) |
| skratta | skrattar | to laugh |
| gråta | gråter | to cry |
| le | ler | to smile |
| välja | väljer | to choose |
| öppna | öppnar | to open |
| stänga | stänger | to close |
| vänta | väntar | to wait |
| kalla | kallar | to call / to name |
| fortsätta | fortsätter | to continue |
| förklara | förklarar | to explain |
| träffa | träffar | to meet |
| möta | möter | to meet / to face |
| vinna | vinner | to win |
| förlora | förlorar | to lose (a game or money) |
| tappa | tappar | to drop / to lose (an object) |
| byta | byter | to change / to exchange |
| ändra | ändrar | to alter / to change |
| låta | låter | to sound / to let |
| verka | verkar | to seem |
| undra | undrar | to wonder |
| sakna | saknar | to miss |
| följa | följer | to follow |
| växa | växer | to grow |
| bygga | bygger | to build |
| bjuda | bjuder | to invite / to offer |
How to use this list
Don’t try to memorize all 100 verbs in one single day.
Start by picking the top 10 verbs from the list above.
Practice forming short, simple sentences with them in the present tense.
Here’s a quick example of how you can use common verbs in a simple conversation:
Vad gör du idag?
Jag jobbar och sedan äter jag.
As you get comfortable, add five new verbs to your practice routine every day.
Keep in mind that Swedish pronunciation can vary based on regional dialects.
In southern regions like Skåne, you’ll hear a different intonation for words like äta or säga.
However, the spelling and overall meaning of these 100 verbs remain identical everywhere in Sweden.
Consistency is the best way to master this vocabulary.
Sign up for Talk In Swedish today and start practicing these verbs naturally!