Saying "Not"
To make a sentence negative in Swedish, you will use the word inte (not).
| not | inte |
In a simple main clause, inte always comes immediately after the verb.
| The coffee is not warm today. | Kaffet är inte varmt idag. |
| The water is not cold. | Vattnet är inte kallt. |
No Helping Verbs
Unlike English, Swedish does not use helping verbs like "do" or "does" to form negative sentences. You simply take the main verb and follow it with inte. For example, "does not cycle" translates directly as "cycles not".
| He is not cycling now. | Han cyklar inte nu. |
| I am not cleaning the room today. | Jag städar inte rummet idag. |
Verbs with Prepositions
When a verb is followed by a preposition—such as lyssnar på (listen to) or tittar på (look at)—the word inte still stays right next to the main verb. It simply slips directly between the verb and the preposition.
| We are not listening to the radio. | Vi lyssnar inte på radion. |
| The child is not looking at the newspaper. | Barnet tittar inte på tidningen. |
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