Förstår du svenska och engelska?

you

Breakdown of Förstår du svenska och engelska?

• och: and
• förstå: to understand
• svenska: Swedish
• engelska: English

Questions & Answers about Förstår du svenska och engelska?

Why is the verb "Förstår" placed before "du"?

In Swedish yes/no questions, the verb typically comes first, followed by the subject. That’s why you see Förstår du instead of Du förstår.

Why aren’t "svenska" and "engelska" capitalized like "Swedish" and "English"?

In Swedish, names of languages (and nationalities) are written in lowercase by convention, so svenska and engelska aren’t capitalized.

Should I treat "svenska" and "engelska" here as nouns or adjectives?

In this sentence, svenska and engelska are being used as nouns referring to the languages themselves. They can also be adjectives in other contexts (for example, in "svenska språket" – the Swedish language).

Can I use "ni" instead of "du"?

Yes. Ni is used either when addressing more than one person or sometimes as a polite/formal singular. So you could say Förstår ni svenska och engelska? if you’re speaking to a group or being formal.

Does pronouncing " Förstår du" differ significantly from English?

Swedish has a more pronounced intonation pattern for questions, often with a rising tone on du at the end. Listen to native speakers to pick up the subtleties of pitch and stress.