medföra has two related senses that both flow from its parts. It is med- ("with") + föra ("carry, lead"), so its first, literal meaning is "to bring (something) with one." From there it extends to the far more common abstract sense: "to entail, result in, bring about" — what a decision, change or event carries with it as a consequence. It inherits föra's conjugation cell for cell: a Group 2 -de verb, medföra – medför – medförde – medfört. It is formal in both senses, at home in rules, regulations, reports and news.
Principal parts
| Infinitive | Present | Preteritum (past) | Supine | Imperative | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| medföra | medför | medförde | medfört | (medför) | Group 2 (-de), prefixed föra |
As with every -föra compound, the present is the trap: föra's stem already ends in r (för), so you never add a second -er. The present is medför, not medförer. The past adds -de (medförde) and the supine -t (medfört) — clean Group 2 endings. An imperative medför is grammatically possible but rare outside instructions ("bring along...").
Beslutet medför stora kostnader för kommunen.
The decision entails large costs for the municipality. Present medför — no extra -er on the -r stem.
Reformen medförde många oväntade problem.
The reform brought about many unexpected problems. Past medförde — Group 2 -de.
Ändringen har medfört en kraftig prishöjning.
The change has resulted in a sharp price increase. Perfect har medfört.
Use 1: entail, result in, bring about (consequences)
This is the dominant use. The subject is an event, decision, rule or change; the object is the consequence it produces — costs, risks, problems, advantages, obligations.
En sådan lösning medför vissa risker.
A solution like that entails certain risks.
Flytten medförde att vi fick byta skola.
The move meant we had to change schools. medföra att + clause — 'bring it about that...'.
De nya reglerna kan medföra böter.
The new rules can entail fines.
Use 2: the literal sense — bring (with one)
In its original, concrete sense medföra means "bring along, carry with you." This shows up in instructions and formal notices — the classic example being medföra legitimation, "bring ID."
Glöm inte att medföra giltig legitimation.
Don't forget to bring valid ID. Literal medföra = bring with you.
Resenärer ska medföra biljett under hela resan.
Passengers must carry their ticket for the whole journey.
Use 3: medföra vs innebära
innebära ("to mean, imply") and medföra ("to entail, result in") overlap heavily, and in many sentences either works. The shade of difference: innebära frames the consequence as what something means / amounts to (a definitional or logical link), while medföra frames it as what something brings about / produces (a causal, often physical result). When a cost, risk or concrete outcome is produced, medföra is the more natural choice.
Förseningen innebär att vi missar tåget.
The delay means we'll miss the train. innebära — what it amounts to.
Förseningen medför extra kostnader.
The delay brings about extra costs. medföra — the consequence produced.
Beslutet innebär en omläggning som i sin tur medför nya rutiner.
The decision means a restructuring, which in turn brings about new routines. Both verbs, each in its zone.
Common Mistakes
❌ Beslutet medförer stora risker.
Incorrect — föra's stem already ends in r, so no extra -er. The present is medför.
✅ Beslutet medför stora risker.
The decision entails large risks.
❌ Reformen medförade nya problem.
Wrong ending — this is a Group 2 -de verb (it inherits föra), so the past is medförde, not -ade.
✅ Reformen medförde nya problem.
The reform brought about new problems.
❌ Ändringen har medförd en höjning.
Wrong supine — that's an agreeing participle form. After har use the supine medfört.
✅ Ändringen har medfört en höjning.
The change has resulted in an increase.
❌ Ta med dig medföra legitimation.
Doubled-up — medföra already means 'bring with you'. Either say medför legitimation (formal) or ta med legitimation (everyday), not both.
✅ Du måste medföra giltig legitimation.
You must bring valid ID.
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- Using the Verb ReferenceA2 — How to read the single-verb reference cards and the principal-parts citation system that underpins them. Every Swedish verb is cited as a short chain — infinitive – present – preteritum – supine – (past participle) — because every other form is derivable from those parts. This page decodes one weak verb (tala – talar – talade – talat) and one strong verb (skriva – skriver – skrev – skrivit – skriven), explains the conjugation-group labels (1/2/3/4), and gives a key to everything on a card.
- innebära (to mean, entail)B2 — innebära means 'to mean, entail, imply (as a consequence)' and is inne- + bära, so it keeps bära's strong ablaut: innebära – innebar – inneburit. It answers Vad innebär det? ('what does that involve?') and is distinct from betyda (signify) and mena (intend).
- Prefixed (Inseparable) Verbs (förstå, bestämma)B2 — Swedish has two opposite verb-building systems: native particles that are STRESSED and split off (stå ut), and borrowed prefixes be-, för-, an-, und-, er- that are UNSTRESSED, glued on, and never separate (förstå, bestämma). Stress placement alone tells you which system a verb belongs to.