Hearsay and Probability: Lär
When you want to share a juicy rumor or state that something is highly likely, Swedish uses the modal verb lär.
Depending on the context, lär translates to "is said to," "reportedly," or "is likely to." Just like other modal verbs, it is followed directly by another verb in its bare infinitive form—there is no need for the word att (to) in between.
| The mayor is said to be very sick. | Borgmästaren lär vara mycket sjuk. |
| The wife is said to have a secret lover. | Frun lär ha en hemlig älskare. |
Predicting Outcomes
Because lär expresses strong probability, it is the perfect word for predicting the fallout of a local scandal (skandal) or a secret love affair (kärleksaffär).
| The divorce is likely to be very expensive for him. | Skilsmässan lär bli väldigt dyr för honom. |
| The scandal is likely to destroy his entire career. | Skandalen lär förstöra hela hans karriär. |
The Town Gossip
Here are a few more examples of how lär is used to spread rumors about ruined businesses, inheritances, and running away with the money.
| The company is reportedly completely ruined now. | Företaget lär vara helt ruinerat nu. |
| The inheritance will probably save the ruined man. | Arvet lär rädda den ruinerade mannen. |
| The mayor is said to be running away with the fortune. | Borgmästaren lär rymma med förmögenheten. |
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