Jag kan förstå lite svenska nu.

I can understand a little Swedish now.

Breakdown of Jag kan förstå lite svenska nu.

• jag: I
• nu: now
• kunna: can
• förstå: to understand
• svenska: Swedish

Questions & Answers about Jag kan förstå lite svenska nu.

Why is jag used here instead of something like mig?

Jag is the subject pronoun (meaning "I") in Swedish. Mig is the object pronoun (meaning "me"), so it wouldn't make sense in this sentence where you're the one doing the understanding.

What's the role of kan in this sentence?

Kan is a modal verb that means "can" or "be able to." It indicates the ability to do something, in this case, to understand Swedish.

Why do we say förstå instead of förstår in this sentence?

Here, förstå is the infinitive form placed after the modal verb kan. The modal verb requires the main verb to be in its infinitive form without "att." Meanwhile, förstår would be used if it was the main verb conjugated in the present tense, for example, "Jag förstår svenska."

How is lite different from litet or liten?

Lite in this context means "a little (amount)" and is used with uncountable or abstract nouns (like knowledge of a language). Litet is the neuter form of the adjective that describes a singular neuter noun, and liten is the common gender form (e.g., en liten katt - "a small cat").

What is the purpose of nu at the end of the sentence?

Nu means "now," emphasizing that the ability to understand Swedish is a recent or current development. Without nu, the sentence still makes sense, but it lacks the emphasis that this is something happening at the present moment.