Learn Hardcore Swedish: Jag vill dricka mindre kaffe idag.

In Swedish, modal verbs like vill, kan, ska, måste, bör, brukar take the bare infinitive without att. So you say vill dricka, not vill att dricka. You use att with non-modals: for example, försöker att dricka (though many speakers also drop att after some verbs in everyday speech).

What’s the difference between vill dricka, ska dricka, tänker dricka, and kommer att dricka?

vill dricka = want to drink (a desire or wish).
ska dricka = am going to drink / will drink (a plan, decision, or obligation; stronger commitment).
tänker dricka = intend to drink (your intention/plan).
kommer att dricka = will drink (a neutral prediction or likelihood, less about intention).

Why is it dricka and not dricker? Could I use dricker here?

After a modal verb like vill, you must use the infinitive dricka. You can use the present dricker if you don’t have a modal: for example, Idag dricker jag mindre kaffe (“Today I’m drinking less coffee”), which talks about what is happening/being done today.

Where can I put idag? Is the word order fixed?

Swedish main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb is in second position. You can move idag to the front for emphasis, as long as the finite verb (vill) stays second.

Neutral: Jag vill dricka mindre kaffe idag.
Emphasis on “today”: Idag vill jag dricka mindre kaffe.
Jag vill idag dricka mindre kaffe is grammatical but more formal/marked.

Where does the negation inte go if I want to say I don’t want to?

Put inte after the finite verb vill and before the infinitive:

Jag vill inte dricka mindre kaffe idag. If you front idag, keep the verb second and inte after it:
Idag vill jag inte dricka mindre kaffe.

Should it be mindre or färre?

Use mindre with uncountable (mass) nouns like kaffe: mindre kaffe (“less coffee”). Use färre with countable items: färre koppar kaffe (“fewer cups of coffee”). If you want to compare explicitly: mindre kaffe än igår (“less coffee than yesterday”).

Why is there no article before kaffe? When would I use kaffet or ett kaffe?

With mass nouns in a general sense, Swedish normally uses no article: dricka kaffe. Use the definite kaffet to refer to a specific, known coffee (for example, a particular pot): dricka mindre av kaffet. To order a serving, you can say ett kaffe (a coffee) or the safer en kopp kaffe (a cup of coffee).

Is kaffe an en-word or an ett-word? How do I order “a coffee”?

Kaffe is an ett-word: ett kaffe, kaffet. In cafés you’ll hear both ett kaffe and colloquially en kaffe; both are widely used. If you want to avoid any doubt, say en kopp kaffe.

Can I write idag or do I have to write i dag?

Both idag and i dag are correct. Nowadays idag is the most common and is the form many style guides prefer, but you’ll see both in standard Swedish.

How do you pronounce the sentence naturally?

Approximate guide (primary stress in caps):

Jag ≈ “yah(g)” (the final g is often soft or not strongly released).
vill ≈ “vil” with a short i (like “will”).
dricka ≈ “DRIK-ka” (short i; the ck indicates a long k sound).
mindre ≈ “MIN-dre”.
kaffe ≈ “KAF-fe” (short a; double f is a long f).
idag ≈ “i-DAG” (stress on the second syllable). Swedish r is typically alveolar (a tap or trill).

Can I say dricka kaffe mindre like “drink coffee less”?

No. In Swedish, quantity words like mindre go before the noun: mindre kaffe. If you mean “less often” (frequency), rephrase: dricka kaffe mer sällan (“drink coffee less often”) or dricka kaffe färre gånger (“fewer times”).

How do I compare explicitly to another time?

Use än to introduce the standard of comparison: Jag vill dricka mindre kaffe än igår. You can equally compare to people or amounts: mindre kaffe än du, mindre kaffe än vanligt.

Does mindre change form to agree with kaffe?

No. As a comparative meaning “less,” mindre is invariable; it doesn’t change with gender or number: mindre kaffe, mindre socker, mindre tid.

Is Jag vill dricka mindre av kaffet correct?

Yes, but it’s specific. Use mindre av kaffet when you mean “less of the (particular) coffee” that both of you know about (this pot, this batch). For general consumption, just say mindre kaffe.

What’s the difference between vill ha kaffe and vill dricka kaffe?

vill ha kaffe = want (to have/get) coffee. It’s about obtaining/receiving coffee.
vill dricka kaffe = want to drink coffee. It’s about the action of drinking. Both can overlap in context, but vill dricka focuses on the activity.

How can I make the sentence softer or more polite?

Use the conditional-like phrasing skulle vilja: Jag skulle vilja dricka mindre kaffe idag. This sounds more tentative/polite, like “I would like to …”.

Could I just say the same idea without vill?

Yes. To state what (already) happens today, you can use the present: Idag dricker jag mindre kaffe. That reports a plan in progress or a present-time fact, rather than a wish.