Breakdown of Vi vandrade på fjället igår.
vi
we
igår
yesterday
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
vandra
to hike
fjället
the mountain (fell, above tree line)
Questions & Answers about Vi vandrade på fjället igår.
Why does the verb vandrade end in -ade?
This is the simple past tense (preteritum) of the verb att vandra (to hike). Vandra is a regular Group 1 verb. For all Group 1 verbs, you create the past tense by adding -de to the base form, which always gives you that signature -ade ending.
Why use fjället for "the mountain" instead of berget?
Ett berg is the general Swedish word for a mountain. Ett fjäll is a specific type of mountain or highland found in Scandinavia that is high enough to go above the tree line (often called a "fell" in English). Hiking on fjället is a classic Swedish outdoor activity.
In English we usually say we hike "in" the mountains. Why does this sentence use på (on)?
In Swedish, you focus on the fact that you are walking on the open surface of the terrain, so you use på (on). If you said you were hiking i fjället, it would sound like you were walking in a cave inside the mountain!
If I want to start the sentence with Igår (yesterday), how does the word order change?
The sentence would become Igår vandrade vi på fjället. Swedish uses the V2 rule, meaning the verb must always be the second piece of information in a standard statement. When you put igår in spot number one, the verb vandrade stays in spot number two, and the subject vi is pushed to spot number three.
Learn Vi vandrade på fjället igår and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free