Vi går mot sjön på kvällen.

We walk toward the lake in the evening.

Breakdown of Vi går mot sjön på kvällen.

• vi: we
• kvällen: the evening
• på: in
• gå: to walk
• sjön: the lake
• mot: against

Questions & Answers about Vi går mot sjön på kvällen.

Why is sjön in the definite form? Why not just sjö?

In Swedish, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word like the in English.

• en sjö = a lake (indefinite)
• sjön = the lake (definite)

In Vi går mot sjön, the idea is that both speaker and listener know which lake is meant (for example, the usual lake near the village), so Swedish uses the definite form sjön.
English shows this with a separate word (the lake); Swedish shows it by changing the noun’s ending.

What’s the difference between mot sjön and till sjön?

Both involve movement in the direction of the lake, but they’re not identical:

• mot sjön = towards the lake
  Focus on the direction. You may or may not actually reach the lake.
• till sjön = to the lake
  Implies going all the way to the lake as your destination.

So:

• Vi går mot sjön. = We walk in the direction of the lake.
• Vi går till sjön. = We walk to the lake (we intend to end up there).

Does går mean go or walk?

Gå / går can mean both, depending on context:

• Very often it means to walk (as a way of moving on foot):
  • Vi går mot sjön. = We walk towards the lake.
• More generally, it can mean to go (especially in set phrases):
  • gå på bio = to go to the cinema
  • gå i skolan = to go to school / be in school

If you specifically want to say go (by car/bus/train) you’d usually use åka instead:

• Vi åker till sjön. = We go (by vehicle) to the lake.

Why is går in the present tense if the sentence is about the evening?

Swedish often uses the present tense for future events, especially when they are planned or clearly placed in time by another expression:

• Vi går mot sjön på kvällen.
  Literally: We go towards the lake in the evening, but can mean We’re going towards the lake this evening (if it’s about a specific evening) or a habitual action (if it’s something you usually do in the evenings).

Context decides if it’s:

• a general habit: In the evenings, we walk towards the lake, or
• a near-future plan: We’re walking towards the lake this evening.

Does på kvällen mean in the evening or at night?

På kvällen means in the evening.

Typical time expressions:

• på morgonen = in the morning
• på dagen = in the daytime
• på kvällen = in the evening
• på natten = at night / during the night

So Vi går mot sjön på kvällen = We walk towards the lake in the evening.

What is the difference between på kvällen and i kväll?

They look similar but are used differently:

• på kvällen = in the evening in a general or habitual sense
  
  • Vi går ofta mot sjön på kvällen. = We often walk towards the lake in the evening(s).
• i kväll = this evening / tonight (a specific upcoming evening)
  • Vi går mot sjön i kväll. = We’re going towards the lake this evening.

So på kvällen is more general, i kväll is specific (tonight).

Can I change the word order to På kvällen går vi mot sjön?

Yes, that’s correct Swedish, and it’s very natural.

• Vi går mot sjön på kvällen.
  Neutral focus on we and the action.
• På kvällen går vi mot sjön.
  Puts extra emphasis on in the evening (when this happens).

Swedish main clauses normally keep the verb in second position (V2 word order).
In På kvällen går vi mot sjön, På kvällen is first, går is second.

Why is there no separate word for the before sjön?

Swedish usually doesn’t use a separate word like the. Instead, definiteness is built into the noun:

• en sjö = a lake
• sjön = the lake

If you add the-like meaning, it goes on the end of the word:

• bok → boken (book → the book)
• sjö → sjön (lake → the lake)

So sjön already contains the meaning of the, and you don’t add another word.

What gender is sjö, and how do its forms work?

Sjö is an en-word (common gender):

• Indefinite singular: en sjö = a lake
• Definite singular: sjön = the lake
• Indefinite plural: sjöar = lakes
• Definite plural: sjöarna = the lakes

So you could say:

• Vi går mot sjöarna. = We walk towards the lakes.
• Vi går mot sjöarna på kvällen. = We walk towards the lakes in the evening.

Does mot also mean against in Swedish? Won’t that be confusing?

Yes, mot can mean both towards and against, depending on context:

• Direction towards:
  • Vi går mot sjön. = We walk towards the lake.
• Against (opposition/contact):
  • Hon lutar sig mot väggen. = She leans against the wall.
  • De spelade mot Sverige. = They played against Sweden.
  • Det är mot reglerna. = It is against the rules.

You understand which meaning is intended from the sentence context.

How would I say We’re walking by the lake instead of towards the lake?

You would change the preposition:

• Vi går vid sjön. = We walk by/near the lake.
• Vi går längs sjön. = We walk along the lake.
• Vi går runt sjön. = We walk around the lake.

Mot sjön always has the idea of moving in the direction of the lake, not beside it.

How do you pronounce sjön and what is that sj sound?

Sjön is pronounced roughly like:

• sj-: a special Swedish sound (often written as /ɧ/ in phonetics), something between English sh and a breathy h, formed further back in the mouth.
• ö: like the vowel in British English bird or burn, but with rounded lips.
• n: like English n.

A rough approximation for English speakers: “shurn” but with the sh produced deeper in the mouth and with a rounded ö sound instead of ur.

If written in IPA: /ɧœn/ (depending slightly on dialect).