Breakdown of Kom nu och vänta lite; jag ska ringa honom.
jag
I
och
and
nu
now
ska
will
ringa
to call
komma
to come
vänta
to wait
honom
him
lite
a bit
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Questions & Answers about Kom nu och vänta lite; jag ska ringa honom.
Is kom past tense or imperative here?
Imperative. Swedish kom can be either past tense ("came") or the imperative ("come!"). With no subject and followed by nu, it’s clearly a command. Past tense would look like Jag kom.
What nuance does nu add in Kom nu?
Literal meaning is "now," but here it’s a pragmatic particle that adds urgency or coaxing. Kom! can sound abrupt; Kom nu! is more like "come on now." Variants:
- Kom nu då! (more impatient/exasperated)
- Kom nu, så… (leads into the next step)
Why is it och in Kom nu och vänta lite? Can I use att or så instead?
- och is the normal way to link a motion imperative with the next action: "come and (then) wait."
- Don’t use att; komma att means "to end up (doing)" and changes the meaning.
- så is also fine to mark the next step: Kom nu, så väntar vi lite ("come now, then we’ll wait a bit").
Is "come and wait" contradictory?
No. It means "come here/with me now and then wait a moment." The och indicates sequence.
Should I add hit to make "come here" explicit?
Use a direction word if you want to be explicit:
- Kom hit (nu)! = come to where I am
- Kom in! = come in
- Kom ut! = come out Plain Kom nu! often implies "to me/with me" from context.
What exactly does vänta lite mean, and what are alternatives?
"Wait a bit/a moment." Common alternatives:
- vänta lite grann / lite grand
- vänta en stund / ett tag / ett ögonblick Note: vänta på means "wait for" (e.g., vänta på honom).
Why the semicolon? Could I use a period or comma?
Two independent clauses closely linked in meaning—semicolon is fine. Alternatives:
- Period: Kom nu och vänta lite. Jag ska ringa honom.
- Comma with a linker: Kom nu och vänta lite, så ska jag ringa honom. Avoid a bare comma splice in careful writing.
Does ska just mean "will"? How is it different from kommer att or tänker?
- ska: intention, promise, plan; very common for near-future.
- kommer att: neutral/predictive ("is going to happen").
- tänker: emphasizes intention you have in mind ("I intend to..."). All can be correct depending on nuance.
Can I say Jag kommer ringa honom?
Yes in speech (many drop att). In formal writing, prefer Jag kommer att ringa honom.
Do I need till with ringa? Is ringa honom correct?
Yes. Standard and preferred is transitive ringa någon: ringa honom. ringa till någon is common in speech but less preferred in careful style. Related:
- ringa upp (någon) = call and get through
- ringa tillbaka = call back
Why honom and not han?
Because it’s the object form. Subject vs. object:
- he: han / honom
- she: hon / henne
- gender‑neutral: hen (same form for subject and object)
Can I omit the object and just say Jag ska ringa?
Yes, if context makes the person obvious.
How do people pronounce och here?
In everyday speech it usually reduces to a short vowel like o/å; the final consonants aren’t pronounced. You might hear something like: Kom nu å vänta lite… In careful speech you can say a full och, but reduction is very common.
Could I use the present tense instead of ska to mean a near‑future call?
Yes. Jag ringer honom often means "I’ll call him (right now/soon)." Present tense is frequently used for the immediate or scheduled future.
Is Kom igen a good alternative to Kom nu?
Often, yes. Kom igen (nu)! is a common way to spur someone on ("come on!"). Kom nu! is more literal "come now," while Kom igen! can also mean "try again/keep going" depending on context.