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Questions & Answers about Vi ska sluta tidigt imorgon.
Does ska here mean “will” or “going to”?
It’s closest to “going to” in the sense of a plan or intention. Vi ska sluta tidigt imorgon implies that finishing early is decided or intended.
Could I just use the present tense for the future instead?
Yes. Vi slutar tidigt imorgon is very natural when it’s a scheduled or timetabled thing (work, school, a class). Ska adds a sense of plan/decision.
What’s the difference between ska and kommer att for the future?
- Ska = intention/decision, often by the subject: Vi ska sluta tidigt imorgon (we plan to).
- Kommer att = neutral prediction/expectation: Vi kommer att sluta tidigt imorgon (it looks like we will).
Both can be used, but the nuance differs. In informal speech, many drop att: Vi kommer sluta…, though some style guides prefer keeping att.
Is “ska att sluta” ever correct?
No. Use ska + infinitive without att: Vi ska sluta… (not “ska att sluta”).
Where should I put the time words? Is tidigt imorgon the right order?
Yes, sluta tidigt imorgon is idiomatic. You can also front the day: Imorgon ska vi sluta tidigt. When you move an element to the start, keep Swedish verb-second word order (the finite verb ska stays in second position).
Can I say imorgon tidigt instead of tidigt imorgon?
Yes, imorgon tidigt is also used, but tidigt imorgon is a bit more common in neutral speech.
What’s the difference between tidig and tidigt?
- tidig = adjective: en tidig morgon (an early morning), ett tidigt tåg.
- tidigt = adverb (how/when): Vi slutar tidigt; and also neuter adjective form. In this sentence it’s an adverb.
How do I negate this? Where does inte go?
Place inte after the finite verb (ska): Vi ska inte sluta tidigt imorgon (We won’t finish early tomorrow). If you front something: Imorgon ska vi inte sluta tidigt.
How do I turn it into a yes–no question?
Invert ska and the subject: Ska vi sluta tidigt imorgon?
What if I want to ask “When will we finish tomorrow?”
Use a wh-word and keep verb-second: När ska vi sluta imorgon?
Does ska ever mean “should”?
Not in the same way as English “should.” For advice/ought-to, Swedish uses borde: Vi borde sluta tidigt imorgon (we ought to). Ska can express obligation in commands: Du ska sluta nu (You are to stop now), but that’s stronger than advice.
What’s the difference between sluta and avsluta?
- sluta = stop/finish (often intransitive): Vi ska sluta tidigt (we’ll finish/stop early).
- avsluta = finish/complete something (transitive): Vi ska avsluta mötet tidigt imorgon (finish the meeting early).
To “quit” an activity: sluta röka, or sluta med socker / sluta med att röka.
Any pitfalls with adding a place, like “at work” or “at school”?
You can say: Vi ska sluta tidigt imorgon i skolan/på kontoret. Avoid sluta jobbet (unnatural). Note that sluta på jobbet without a time phrase can mean “quit your job,” but with a time like imorgon it’s normally understood as “finish early at work tomorrow.”
Spelling: imorgon or i morgon?
Both are correct. Many style guides prefer the spaced form i morgon; the solid form imorgon is very common in everyday writing. Colloquial spellings like imorn/imorrn reflect speech but are informal.
Pronunciation tips?
- Vi = “vee.”
- ska = roughly “ska” with a short a.
- sluta = “SLÜ-ta” (ü like German “ü”/French “u”).
- tidigt = often pronounced like “TEE-dit” (the -igt ending commonly sounds like -it).
- imorgon/i morgon = often “i-MORRon”; the written g in morgon is often not clearly pronounced in everyday speech.
What are the forms of sluta?
Infinitive sluta, present slutar, past slutade, supine slutat. Example: Vi har slutat tidigt många gånger (We have finished early many times).
How would I say “We were going to finish early tomorrow” (future-in-the-past)?
Use skulle (past of ska): Vi skulle sluta tidigt imorgon (context decides whether that plan still holds).