The most common prepositions
Here are the prepositions you'll use every day, with their most common meanings.
| Swedish | Core meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| i | in, inside | i huset (in the house) |
| på | on, at | på bordet (on the table), på jobbet (at work) |
| till | to | till Stockholm (to Stockholm) |
| från | from | från Sverige (from Sweden) |
| med | with | med mig (with me) |
| utan | without | utan socker (without sugar) |
| för | for | för dig (for you) |
| om | about, in (time) | om Sverige (about Sweden), om en timme (in an hour) |
| av | of, by | en kopp av guld (a cup of gold) |
i vs på — the eternal question
The choice between 'i' and 'på' is one of the most confusing areas for learners. There's no single rule, but here are the most important patterns.
| Use i for… | Use på for… |
|---|---|
| Countries: i Sverige, i England | Islands: på Gotland, på Island |
| Cities: i Stockholm, i Malmö | Workplaces: på jobbet, på kontoret |
| Rooms: i köket, i badrummet | Events: på festen, på mötet |
| Months: i januari, i december | Days: på måndag, på fredag |
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The best approach: don't try to work out the 'logic' — just learn each phrase as a unit. 'På jobbet', not 'i jobbet'. Over time, the patterns become intuitive.
Practice
Test yourself — 6 quick exercises on this topic.
1 of 6
Fill in the blank:
Festen är ___ lördag. (on)