Learning Swedish?

[NovembersDirge]

I can help you with that. From http://g3.spraakdata.gu.se/saob/ (in swedish) jfr FOSTRA sbst., o. FOSTRE. ( fost- Apg. 7: 20 (NT 1526) osv. foost- 1Tess. 2: 7 (NT 1526), LPETRI 2Post. 272 a (1555)) [fsv. fostra (i bet. 2 o. 3), motsv. d. fostre, isl. fóstra, eng. foster, v.; av germ. fōstrōn, avledn. till fōstra- i dess urspr. abstr. bet.: födande, fostrande (se FOSTER)] In swedish this word dates back to ancient swedish (fornsvenska).

I didn't know that they had the dictionary online! I've been looking for a reliable online Swedish dictionary that isn't lättsvenska for a very long time. Thanks! And isn't "fornsvenska" the same as "fornnordiska"? I mean, logically it should be, right? If so, then maybe it's better to translate as Old Norse?

I think it's really funny that the crest at the top of Svenska Akademiens Ordbok says "Snille och Smak". Or, for non-Swedish speaking types, "Genius and Taste". Hahaha.

American universities are the best in the world so they most probably offer Swedish, too

There is not even an official language in the USA and Spanish-speaking people have always been there (at least in the south) so why should they be forced to learn English?

For those of you interested in taking Swedish at universities in the US, University of Wisconsin - Madison has it for sure. There aren't that many schools in the US with Scandinavian Studies programs, but Madison has one. I had my first lessons in Swedish there. There's one in Seattle, too. And University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Gustavus Adolphus college in Minnesota, and I know they have exchange programs with Göteborg for sure.. Basically, anywhere where Swedish immigrants settled down will have Swedish offered.

The politics of Spanish in the US are pretty intense because of the issues surrounding immigration and such. It's hardly worth the debate, because it tends to be a very emotional one where people aren't thinking straight.

swedish is offered also in italy, but not everywhere.
i suppose at least in 5-10 universities, i'm pretty sure about Genova and Firenze.
also norwegian and danish are offered, together with history of litterature.

I've only met a couple of Italians up here who had any desire to learn Swedish. The rest just seemed to be highly fascinated by snow and Swedish women. Though, granted, I only met three or four. Not the best statistical base. But yeah, one of them was really pretty good, and apparently she had learned most of it at her home university before she even came. I was impressed. That's common with the Dutch or the Germans, but it's much less common with people who speak Romance languages as their first language.

 

[Dödsolycka]

Hi folks! First post here.

I started to learn Swedish few months ago, I wouldn't say the grammar is that complicated. I think if I'd have more practice, there could be a good command on it. I'm impressed with its wonderful phonetics. Swedish sounds just incomparable...
Good luck with your studying!

 

[Defiance]

For those of you interested in taking Swedish at universities in the US, University of Wisconsin - Madison has it for sure. There aren't that many schools in the US with Scandinavian Studies programs, but Madison has one. I had my first lessons in Swedish there. There's one in Seattle, too. And University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Gustavus Adolphus college in Minnesota, and I know they have exchange programs with Göteborg for sure.. Basically, anywhere where Swedish immigrants settled down will have Swedish offered.

The politics of Spanish in the US are pretty intense because of the issues surrounding immigration and such. It's hardly worth the debate, because it tends to be a very emotional one where people aren't thinking straight.

I've only met a couple of Italians up here who had any desire to learn Swedish. The rest just seemed to be highly fascinated by snow and Swedish women. Though, granted, I only met three or four. Not the best statistical base. But yeah, one of them was really pretty good, and apparently she had learned most of it at her home university before she even came. I was impressed. That's common with the Dutch or the Germans, but it's much less common with people who speak Romance languages as their first language.

Thanks for the mentioning the universities. I've met professors from Gustavus Adolphus college, and they were quite good. Heck maybe some will come to the congress here.

Ah well the Spanish issue is a big one, I'm not sure if it will ever be considered an "official" language in the US; but judging from the amount of Spanish-speaking people that live there (legally or illegally), the government might as well declare it official. (I can already sense some gringos getting mad hehehe.)

Yeah, usually Italians that try to speak Germanic languages don't do it in such a good manner, and the same vice-versa. E.g., my girlfriend really has a horrible accent when she speaks German, and she always gets mad when I speak Italian . The only Romance language I'll ever be able to speak with a good accent is Spanish (for obvious reasons), and still every now and then the German (or English) accent gets in the way.

It's funny because I write in English in a much better way than in Spanish. Still, I've been trying to improve my writing in the latter.

Practice makes perfect, but in some cases you really need a lot of practice hehe.

Hi folks! First post here.

I started to learn Swedish few months ago, I wouldn't say the grammar is that complicated. I think if I'd have more practice, there could be a good command on it. I'm impressed with its wonderful phonetics. Swedish sounds just incomparable...
Good luck with your studying!

Welcome to the forum, and good luck with your learning!

 

[Dödsolycka]

Welcome to the forum, and good luck with your learning!

Tack så mycket!

 

[Defiance]

Tack så mycket!

Bitte! (Du er välkommen?)

 

[lefay82]

Bitte! (Du er välkommen?)

are you drunk?

 

[tobz]

Bitte! (Du er välkommen?)

Nah, it's called "Varsågod" in Swedish.
The exact word by word meaning is "Be so good", but the actual meaning of it is "You're welcome"...
Oh, and it's only called "er" in Danish and (I think)Norwegian, in Swedish it is "är"...

 

[Agah]

Nah, it's called "Varsågod" in Swedish.
The exact word by word meaning is "Be so good", but the actual meaning of it is "You're wlecome"...
Oh, and it's only called "er" in Danish and (I think)Norwegian, in Swedish it is "är"...

In Norwegian it's "værsågod".

 

[Gaunerin]

I'm impressed with its wonderful phonetics.

Amen to that. But it is less wonderful to realise how hard it is to accomplish a decent pronunciation if you're not a native speaker

 

[Defiance]

are you drunk?

I haven't been drunk for 8 years, once is enough .

Nah, it's called "Varsågod" in Swedish.
The exact word by word meaning is "Be so good", but the actual meaning of it is "You're wlecome"...
Oh, and it's only called "er" in Danish and (I think)Norwegian, in Swedish it is "är"...

Ahhh OK, that's why I wrote it with a question mark, I really didn't know, that's what my translator said.

Yes, it's "er" in Norwegian too.

@ Agah: Takk!

 

[lefay82]

Amen to that. But it is less wonderful to realise how hard it is to accomplish a decent pronunciation if you're not a native speaker

or to understand something, considering the fact that some different words are pronounced in a similar way and some are vowels/consonant not pronounced or linked in a incomprehensible sound

 

[tobz]

Well, the translator is right in the way that "You are welcome" translates to "Du är välkommen" if you just do it word by word, but not if you take the actual meaning of the sentence.

 

[Dödsolycka]

or to understand something, considering the fact that some different words are pronounced in a similar way and some are vowels/consonant not pronounced or linked in a incomprehensible sound

That's riiight!..Particularly if you have a Slavic articulation base (the sound [y:]/[y] seems just killing to me!). But though I love all these things that are difficult for some reason. I like the r_s, r_l, r_d, r_t and r_n combinations...
It seems I've fallen in love with that language... *sigh*

 

[NovembersDirge]

Hi folks! First post here.

I started to learn Swedish few months ago, I wouldn't say the grammar is that complicated. I think if I'd have more practice, there could be a good command on it. I'm impressed with its wonderful phonetics. Swedish sounds just incomparable...
Good luck with your studying!

Välkommen! Och lycka till! The grammar isn't tough at all for English speakers. There's a few things that'll trip you up, but it could be way worse.

 

[lefay82]

Well, the translator is right in the way that "You are welcome" translates to "Du är välkommen" if you just do it word by word, but not if you take the actual meaning of the sentence.

i've never understood why english people use to say "you are welcome" after a "thank you"
i mean....you are welcome of what????

but all languages seems to have a strange way to reply for this, like varsågod in swedish or "prego" in italiano which litterally means "i prey"

 

[Thidrek]

In German you just say "bitte" what also means "please". It sounds natural to me but when I think about it it makes little sense

What disturbes me in Swedish is that you cannot say "please" properly and you always have to use some auxilary constructions.

 

[lefay82]

In German you just say "bitte" what also means "please". It sounds natural to me but when I think about it it makes little sense

What disturbes me in Swedish is that you cannot say "please" properly and you always have to use some auxilary constructions.

what disturbes me are those strange construction with 3 consecutive verbs (which i found in some grammar books) used when you are asking things, like : "skulle jag kunna få ett glass vin?"
it sounds very innatural to my ears :Smug:
just think that i'm used to use a single verb in my own language, cause we don't need auxiliary verbs (well can use them if we want, but it is not a rigid rule) to make a question sentence, we just change the intonation.

italian 1 verb: mi daresti un bicchiere di vino, per favore?
english 2 verbs: would you give me a glass of wine, please?
swedish 3 verbs :Smug:

 

[Draugen]

what disturbes me are those strange construction with 3 consecutive verbs (which i found in some grammar books) used when you are asking things, like : "skulle jag kunna få ett glass vin?"
it sounds very innatural to my ears :Smug:
just think that i'm used to use a single verb in my own language, cause we don't need auxiliary verbs (well can use them if we want, but it is not a rigid rule) to make a question sentence, we just change the intonation.

italian 1 verb: mi daresti un bicchiere di vino, per favore?
english 2 verbs: would you give me a glass of wine, please?
swedish 3 verbs :Smug:

But you don't have to use 3 verbs. It's much easier to say "kan jag få ett glas vin?". Ok, it's still 2, but fewer anyway

 

[lefay82]

But you don't have to use 3 verbs. It's much easier to say "kan jag få ett glas vin?". Ok, it's still 2, but fewer anyway

so that construction isn't used that much? fiuhhhh....
yes with 2 verb is really easier

i still have problems with the meaning of the word få, it can be used different ways so sometimes i get lost.
kan jag få...= in this case means to get, to obtain, to have
får jag titta på tv? = in this case is an ausiliar verb and means to can, to have permission

what else? are there any other uses?

 

[Blind Guardian]

It also means few.

Determiners in Swedish are pretty stupid, because many have no rules at all, for example:

table = bord
forest = skog

the table = bordet
the forest = skogen

You just have to know when to use et and when to use en.

And if we make these plural, the lack of logic continues:

the tables = borden
the forests = skogarna