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Questions & Answers about Jag väntar på ditt svar.
Why is it väntar på and not just väntar?
In Swedish, vänta på means wait for someone/something. The verb vänta by itself is intransitive (no direct object).
- Jag väntar. (I’m waiting.)
- Jag väntar på bussen/svaret/dig. (I’m waiting for the bus/the answer/you.) If you want a verb that can take a direct object without på, use more formal verbs like invänta or avvakta:
- Jag inväntar ditt svar.
- Jag avvaktar ditt svar.
Can I say Jag väntar ditt svar like English “I await your answer”?
Not with vänta. Standard Swedish needs på: Jag väntar på ditt svar. If you want to drop the preposition, use:
- Jag inväntar ditt svar. (formal, neutral)
- Jag avvaktar ditt svar. (formal, often suggests “holding off until…”)
Why is it ditt and not din or dina?
Swedish possessives agree with the grammatical gender and number of the noun:
- ett svar → ditt svar (neuter singular)
- en fråga → din fråga (common gender singular)
- plural nouns → dina (e.g., dina svar = your answers)
What if I’m addressing several people—how do I say “your” in plural?
Use ert for a neuter singular noun and era for plurals:
- ert svar (your [plural] answer)
- era svar (your [plural] answers) Note: Ni/er/ert/era can be used either for plural you or as a polite singular in some contexts (e.g., customer service).
What tense/aspect is väntar? Does it mean “I wait” or “I am waiting”?
Both. Swedish present tense covers both simple and progressive:
- Jag väntar = I wait / I am waiting. Context clarifies the aspect.
Is the word order correct? How does the V2 rule apply?
Yes. In main clauses, the finite verb is in second position (V2):
- Jag (1) väntar (2) på ditt svar. If you front something else, the subject inverts:
- I morgon väntar jag på ditt svar.
- På ditt svar väntar jag.
Can I omit ditt and just say Jag väntar på svar?
Yes. Jag väntar på svar means you’re waiting for a reply (from someone, unspecified). Jag väntar på ditt svar specifies that it’s the other person’s answer.
Why isn’t it ditt svaret?
With a possessive, Swedish uses the bare noun, not the definite form. So:
- Correct: ditt svar or svaret
- Incorrect: ditt svaret
How do I say “I’m waiting for you to answer” with a clause?
Use vänta på att with a clause containing ska:
- Jag väntar på att du ska svara. You can also say:
- Jag väntar på att få ett svar.
- Jag väntar på svar från dig.
What’s the difference between vänta på and vänta tills?
- vänta på = wait for someone/something/event: Jag väntar på ditt svar.
- vänta tills = wait until a time or condition: Jag väntar tills i morgon. / Vänta tills du är klar.
Is Jag väntar på ditt svar polite in emails, or should I use something else?
It’s neutral and can sound a bit firm. Softer or more natural options:
- Jag ser fram emot ditt svar. (warmer, positive expectation)
- Återkom gärna när du kan. (kind, flexible)
- More formal: Jag inväntar ditt svar.
- Casual: Hör av dig.
How do I pronounce it?
Approximate guidance:
- Jag: often [jaː] (the g may be silent in many accents), or [jag] with a hard g in some regions.
- väntar: stress on the first syllable; ä like the e in “bed”; [ˈvɛn.tar].
- på: long o-sound [poː].
- ditt: short i, [dɪt].
- svar: long a [svɑːr]. Natural speech may link words smoothly.
Can the preposition go at the end like in English “What are you waiting for?”?
Yes, preposition stranding is common:
- Vad väntar du på? More formal (preposition fronted):
- På vad väntar du? In relative clauses, both are also used:
- svaret som jag väntar på / svaret på vilket jag väntar (the second is quite formal).
How do I negate it or make it a question?
- Negation: place inte after the verb in a main clause: Jag väntar inte på ditt svar.
- Yes/no question: invert subject and verb: Väntar du på mitt svar?
What are the forms of svar?
- ett svar (an answer)
- svaret (the answer)
- flera svar (answers)
- svaren (the answers) With a possessive, use the bare form: mitt/ditt/ert svar.
What does vänta med mean, and is it different from vänta på?
Yes. vänta med (att) means to postpone/hold off on doing something:
- Vänta med att skicka mejlet till i morgon. (Hold off on sending the email until tomorrow.) vänta på means wait for someone/something:
- Jag väntar på ditt svar.
What’s the difference between vänta and stanna?
- vänta = to wait (expecting something/someone).
- stanna = to stay/stop (remain in place). They can combine:
- Jag stannar här och väntar på dig. (I’ll stay here and wait for you.)