Specific past time expressions (i)

Pinpointing the Past

To state exactly when a specific, completed event happened in the past, Swedish often uses time expressions starting with the preposition i. For example, i natt means "last night."

Are you sure about the alibi?
Är du säker på alibit?
The murder happened last night.
Mordet hände i natt.

This Morning

To say "this morning" (referring to a morning that has already passed today), use i morse. For "yesterday morning," use igår morse.

The witness lied this morning.
Vittnet ljög i morse.
I am sure that he slept yesterday morning.
Jag är säker på att han sov igår morse.
I was sleeping at home when the murder happened this morning.
Jag sov hemma när mordet hände i morse.

Last Year

To say "last year," Swedish uses a fixed expression: i fjol.

He had no alibi last year.
Han hade inget alibi i fjol.
The thief did not disappear last year.
Tjuven försvann inte i fjol.

Past Seasons and Holidays

To refer to the most recent occurrence of a season or holiday, use i followed by the noun with an -s added to the end.

This contrasts with habitual actions (like på sommaren for "in the summer" / "during summers"). Adding the -s pinpoints one specific season or holiday in the past.

Time PeriodSpecific Past ExpressionMeaning
jul (Christmas)i julaslast Christmas
sommar (summer)i somraslast summer
He lied to the police last Christmas.
Han ljög för polisen i julas.
Where was the witness last summer?
Var var vittnet i somras?
The witness had already disappeared last summer.
Vittnet hade redan försvunnit i somras.

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