Learn Hardcore Swedish: De ringer varandra varje helg. - They call each other every weekend.

Because ringa conjugates with -er in the present tense: ringa – ringer – ringde – ringt. It’s a Group 2 verb. Verbs like tala take -ar (e.g., talar), but ringa does not.

Do I need the preposition till? Is De ringer varandra different from De ringer till varandra?

Both occur in real Swedish. The most common and neutral pattern is transitive: ringa någon (no preposition), so De ringer varandra is perfect. You can also hear ringa till någon, and with reciprocals that gives De ringer till varandra, which is acceptable but a bit wordier.

What exactly does varandra do?

Varandra means “each other/one another” and marks a reciprocal action between at least two people. It’s used as an object or after prepositions:

De hjälper varandra.
De pratar med varandra.

Can I use sig instead of varandra?

No. Sig is reflexive (“themselves”), not reciprocal. De ringer sig would mean they call themselves, which is not what you want. Use varandra for “each other.”

Is there a shorter or possessive form of varandra?

Yes:

Short form: varann (colloquial): De ringer varann.
Possessive: varandras (“each other’s”): De läser varandras meddelanden.

Does varandra only work for two people?

No. It can refer to two or more people. With more than two, it means they act mutually with one another in some pattern; context decides how strictly pairwise that is.

Why is the verb second? What if I start with the time phrase?

Swedish main clauses follow V2 (verb-second) word order. In De ringer varandra varje helg, the finite verb ringer is in second position. If you front the time phrase, you get:

Varje helg ringer de varandra.

Where does inte go in a negative sentence?

In main clauses, inte typically comes after the finite verb (and subject) and before most objects:

De ringer inte varandra varje helg. In a subordinate clause it comes before the verb: att de inte ringer varandra varje helg.

Why is it varje helg and not varje helgen or varje helger?

Varje always takes an indefinite singular noun: varje dag/vecka/månad/helg. It never combines with definite or plural forms.

Can I say på helgerna instead of varje helg? What’s the nuance?

Varje helg = every weekend (strong “every”).
På helgerna = on weekends (generally/habitually, not necessarily every single one). You can also say alla helger to emphasize “all weekends,” and varannan helg for “every other weekend.”

Does helg mean “weekend” or “holiday”?

In everyday use, helg means “weekend.” It can mean “holiday” in set phrases like julhelgen (“the Christmas holiday period”), but in varje helg it’s understood as “every weekend.”

How do I pronounce the tricky bits?

De is pronounced like “dom” in most accents (though written de in standard prose).
ringer: say “RING-er”; the ng is like English “ring,” and the final r is usually a light tap.
varandra: roughly “va-RAN-dra.” In many accents, the rn/rd sequences become a retroflex sound.
helg: roughly “hel-y” (the lg often sounds like “lj”).

Is Dem ringer varandra ever okay?

Not in standard formal writing. Use de for subjects and dem for objects: De ringer dem (“They call them”). In informal writing, many Swedes use dom for both: Dom ringer varandra varje helg.

What about ringa upp or other ways to say “call”?

ringa (någon) = call (someone) in general.
ringa upp (någon) = call up/dial and get through (often when returning a call): Jag ringer upp dig senare.
You can also say slå en signal (give someone a call) or höra av sig (get in touch): De hör av sig till varandra varje helg.

Does the present ringer express a habitual action, or do I need brukar?

The present works fine for habits, especially with varje-phrases. De brukar ringa varandra varje helg adds the nuance “they usually/typically do,” leaving room for exceptions.

Can I say De ringer varje helg varandra?

That order is unnatural. Prefer:

De ringer varandra varje helg.
Varje helg ringer de varandra.

How would I say this in the past or future?

Past: De ringde varandra varje helg (förut).
Future: De ska ringa varandra varje helg / De kommer att ringa varandra varje helg. Present can also express near-future with a time phrase: De ringer varandra på lördag.