Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Swedish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Kan du ringa mig igen?
What does Kan du mean?
It literally means can you, and it’s the standard way in Swedish to ask someone to do something politely.
Why is the verb kan placed before du, instead of after?
Swedish follows a V2 (verb-second) word order. In yes/no questions the finite verb comes first, then the subject, so Kan du…? rather than Du kan…?.
Does using kan here express ability, permission, or politeness?
While kan literally means “can” (ability), in everyday speech it also softens a request, making it more polite than a direct imperative.
Why is mig used instead of mej? I sometimes see different spellings.
mig is the standard written form of the object pronoun “me,” whereas mej is an informal spelling often seen in texts, chats or casual notes.
Why is igen placed at the end, rather than before ringa?
Adverbs of time or manner like igen (“again”) typically follow the object in Swedish, so ringa mig igen is the natural order.
Is igen the only way to say “again”? What about en gång till?
Both work: igen is a single adverb meaning “again,” while en gång till literally means “one more time.” The latter can feel a bit more formal or emphasize “once more.”
Can I use tillbaka instead of igen to say “call me back”?
Yes. tillbaka means “back,” so Kan du ringa mig tillbaka? specifically requests a return call.
How would I make this request more polite or formal?
Use the conditional form: Skulle du kunna ringa mig igen? translates to “Could you possibly call me again?” and sounds more courteous.
How do I pronounce igen and ringa?
igen is pronounced EE-gen (long EE, soft g).
ringa is RING-ah, where ng sounds like in sing and the a is short.