Brädspelet ligger på bordet.

It is the definite article attached to the end of the noun, so it means the.

Both brädspel and bord are ett-words in Swedish:

• ett brädspel = a board game

• brädspelet = the board game

• ett bord = a table
• bordet = the table

So the sentence uses the board game and the table, not a board game and a table.

In Swedish, the definite article is usually added to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word before it.

So English and Swedish work like this:

• the table → bordet
• the board game → brädspelet

This is one of the biggest differences from English. Swedish does have separate words like den, det, and de, but in a simple sentence like this, the normal pattern is the ending on the noun.

Yes. Swedish usually writes compound nouns as one word.

So:

• bräd
  • spel = brädspel

This means board game. English often uses two words where Swedish prefers one compound word.

That is very common in Swedish:

• sjukhus = hospital
• fotbollslag = football team
• bordslampa = table lamp

So brädspelet is just brädspel + -et.

Ligger is the present tense of the verb ligga, which means to lie or to be lying / located.

Some useful forms are:

• ligga = to lie
• ligger = lies / is lying
• låg = lay / was lying
• legat = lain / been lying

So Brädspelet ligger på bordet literally uses the present tense: The board game lies on the table.

Because Swedish often uses special verbs for position instead of the general verb to be.

The most common ones are:

• ligga = lie
• stå = stand
• sitta = sit

For something like a board game resting on a table, Swedish naturally says ligger.

So:

• Brädspelet ligger på bordet = natural Swedish

If you used är, it would usually sound less natural in this kind of everyday description of where something is.

Yes, absolutely. In Swedish, ligga is very often used for things.

Examples:

• Boken ligger på sängen. = The book is on the bed.
• Nycklarna ligger i väskan. = The keys are in the bag.
• Brädspelet ligger på bordet. = The board game is on the table.

So even though English often just says is, Swedish prefers a position verb.

På means on here.

Since the board game is resting on the surface of the table, på is the natural choice:

• på bordet = on the table

If something were inside something, Swedish would usually use i instead:

• i lådan = in the box

So the contrast is basically:

• på = on
• i = in

The basic order is:

subject + verb + place

So here:

• Brädspelet = subject
• ligger = verb
• på bordet = place expression

This is a very normal Swedish main-clause pattern.

You can also change the emphasis by moving the place expression first:

• På bordet ligger brädspelet.

That still means the same thing, but it emphasizes on the table more. Swedish main clauses usually keep the verb in the second position, so this kind of word order change is common.

You would say:

Ett brädspel ligger på bordet.

Compare:

• Brädspelet ligger på bordet. = The board game is on the table.
• Ett brädspel ligger på bordet. = A board game is on the table.

So the indefinite form is:

• ett brädspel = a board game

while the definite form is:

• brädspelet = the board game

A rough learner-friendly guide is:

BRÄD-spe-let LIG-er po BOR-det

A few helpful points:

• ä in bräd- sounds somewhat like the vowel in bed
• the stress is mainly on the first syllable: BRÄDspelet
• ligger has a hard g sound
• på is pronounced more like po than English paw

This is only an approximation, but it can help you get started.