Hos läkaren
At the doctor's office · a free Swedish immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Jag har ont i halsen sedan tre dagar.
I have had a sore throat for three days.
Literal I have pain in the throat since three days.
Uses the fixed phrase 'ont i + body part' to express pain. 'Sedan' with a time expression indicates how long something has been going on up until now.
- 'ont i + body part' = pain/ache in that area
- 'sedan' + time period = for (duration continuing to present)
Kan du beskriva dina symtom för mig?
Can you describe your symptoms for me?
Literal Can you describe your symptoms for me?
A polite question using the modal verb 'kan'. 'Dina' is the plural possessive form of 'din', agreeing with the plural noun 'symtom'.
- 'kan' = modal verb for ability or polite request
- 'dina' = your (plural possessive, agreeing with 'symtom')
Jag känner mig väldigt trött och har feber.
I feel very tired and have a fever.
Literal I feel myself very tired and have fever.
'Känner mig' is the reflexive form of 'känna' (to feel). Note that Swedish typically omits the indefinite article before 'feber' in health expressions.
- 'känna sig' = to feel (reflexive verb construction)
- No article before 'feber' in common health expressions
Tar du några mediciner för tillfället?
Are you taking any medications at the moment?
Literal Take you any medicines for the moment?
'För tillfället' is a set phrase meaning 'at the moment' or 'currently'. Swedish present tense covers ongoing actions the way English continuous tense does.
- Present tense covers ongoing actions (no continuous form in Swedish)
- 'för tillfället' = at the moment, currently (fixed phrase)
Du bör vila och dricka mycket vatten.
You should rest and drink a lot of water.
Literal You should rest and drink much water.
'Bör' is a modal verb expressing a recommendation. It is softer than 'måste' (must) and very common in medical advice. Infinitives follow modal verbs.
- 'bör' = should/ought to (modal, softer recommendation than 'måste')
- Infinitive follows modal verbs: 'bör vila', 'bör dricka'
Är du allergisk mot något läkemedel?
Are you allergic to any medication?
Literal Are you allergic against something medicine?
'Allergisk mot' means 'allergic to' — the preposition 'mot' (against/toward) is always used here. 'Något' means 'any' or 'some' in a question.
- 'allergisk mot' = allergic to (preposition 'mot' required)
- 'något' = any/some in questions and conditionals
Jag skriver ut ett recept på antibiotika.
I am writing a prescription for antibiotics.
Literal I write out a prescription on antibiotics.
'Skriva ut' is a phrasal verb meaning to write out or prescribe. The preposition 'på' is used after 'recept' to introduce the substance prescribed.
- 'skriva ut' = phrasal verb: to prescribe / write out
- 'ett recept på...' = a prescription for... (fixed preposition 'på')
Ta en tablett tre gånger om dagen.
Take one tablet three times a day.
Literal Take one tablet three times per the day.
This is an imperative form used for instructions. 'Gånger om dagen' is a fixed phrase for dosage frequency, equivalent to 'times per day'.
- Imperative: 'ta' (take) — infinitive stem used for most Swedish imperatives
- 'gånger om dagen' = times per day (fixed dosage phrase)
Har du haft dessa besvär tidigare?
Have you had these problems before?
Literal Have you had these complaints earlier?
'Har haft' is the present perfect of 'ha' (to have). 'Besvär' refers to ailments or complaints. 'Tidigare' means 'before' or 'previously'.
- Present perfect: 'har + past participle' = have done
- 'besvär' = complaints/ailments (ett-noun, often used in plural)
Kom tillbaka om en vecka om du inte mår bättre.
Come back in a week if you don't feel better.
Literal Come back in a week if you not feel better.
'Kom tillbaka' is an imperative meaning 'come back'. Notice that 'om' appears twice: first as 'in' (time), then as 'if' (condition). 'Mår bättre' uses 'må' for health/wellbeing.
- Imperative: 'kom' from 'komma' (to come)
- 'om' = in (time) AND if (condition) — context tells them apart
- 'mår bättre' = feel better ('må' is used specifically for health)
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
läkare
doctor / physician
Läkaren undersökte mig noggrant.
The doctor examined me carefully.
Indefinite: en läkare; definite: läkaren; same form in plural
recept
prescription; also: recipe
Jag behöver ett recept för det här läkemedlet.
I need a prescription for this medication.
Context clarifies meaning: medical prescription vs. cooking recipe
symtom
symptom
Vilka symtom har du haft?
What symptoms have you had?
feber
fever
Hon har hög feber sedan igår.
She has had a high fever since yesterday.
No article in common health phrases: 'har feber' not 'har en feber'
allergisk
allergic
Jag är allergisk mot penicillin.
I am allergic to penicillin.
Always followed by preposition 'mot' (to/against)
besvär
trouble / ailments / complaints
Dessa besvär började för en vecka sedan.
These complaints started a week ago.
Common in medical contexts; often plural even for a single complaint
ont
pain / ache
Jag har ont i ryggen.
I have a backache.
Always used in 'ha ont i + body part'; not used as a standalone noun
tablett
tablet / pill
Ta två tabletter med ett glas vatten.
Take two tablets with a glass of water.
undersöka
to examine / to investigate
Läkaren ska undersöka dig nu.
The doctor will examine you now.
Present: undersöker; past: undersökte; past participle: undersökt
bättre
better
Känner du dig bättre idag?
Do you feel better today?
Comparative of 'bra' (good/well); superlative is 'bäst'
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Emma vaknade med ont i halsen och hög feber. Hon ringde vårdcentralen och bokade en tid hos läkaren. I receptionen visade hon sitt sjukkort och väntade en stund i väntrummet. Läkaren frågade om hennes symtom och om hon var allergisk mot några läkemedel. Han undersökte henne noggrant och skrev ut ett recept på antibiotika. Till sist sa han att hon borde ta en tablett tre gånger om dagen och komma tillbaka om en vecka om hon inte kände sig bättre.
Sentence by sentence
Emma vaknade med ont i halsen och hög feber.
Emma woke up with a sore throat and high fever.
'Vaknade' is past tense of 'vakna' (to wake up). 'Med ont i halsen' uses the key fixed phrase 'ont i + body part'. 'Hög feber' = high fever — no article before 'feber'.
Hon ringde vårdcentralen och bokade en tid hos läkaren.
She called the health clinic and made an appointment with the doctor.
'Ringde' is past tense of 'ringa' (to call/ring). 'Bokade en tid' means 'booked a time/appointment'. 'Hos läkaren' = at the doctor's / with the doctor.
Läkaren frågade om hennes symtom och om hon var allergisk mot några läkemedel.
The doctor asked about her symptoms and whether she was allergic to any medications.
'Frågade om' = asked about. 'Om' appears twice: first as 'about', then as 'whether' introducing an indirect question. 'Var' is past tense of 'vara' (to be).
Han undersökte henne noggrant och skrev ut ett recept på antibiotika.
He examined her carefully and wrote a prescription for antibiotics.
'Undersökte' is past tense of 'undersöka'. 'Skrev ut' is past tense of the phrasal verb 'skriva ut' (to prescribe/write out). Both verbs share the subject 'han'.
Han sa att hon borde ta en tablett tre gånger om dagen och komma tillbaka om en vecka.
He said that she should take one tablet three times a day and come back in a week.
'Sa att' introduces reported speech. 'Borde' is past tense of 'bör' (should), used in subordinate clauses after past-tense reporting verbs. Both infinitives 'ta' and 'komma' depend on 'borde'.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Expressing Pain: 'ha ont i + body part'
To say you have pain or an ache in a specific body part, Swedish uses the fixed phrase 'ha ont i' followed by the definite form of the body part. This is the standard way to describe pain and is essential in medical contexts. The verb 'ha' conjugates normally while 'ont i' remains unchanged.
ha ont i + [body part in definite form]
Jag har ont i huvudet.
I have a headache.
Hon har ont i ryggen.
She has a backache.
Har du ont i magen?
Do you have a stomachache?
Han hade ont i benet efter olyckan.
He had pain in his leg after the accident.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Swedish: 'I have had a sore throat for three days.'
Hint Use 'ha ont i + body part' for pain expressions.
Complete the doctor's instructions: 'Ta en tablett ___ gånger om dagen.'
Hint The lesson says once, then a number, then times per day.
Translate to English: 'Är du allergisk mot något läkemedel?'
Hint 'Allergisk mot' = allergic to; 'läkemedel' = medication.
The doctor tells you to rest and drink plenty of water. Which Swedish sentence did she say?
Use the pattern 'ha ont i + body part' to say: 'My head hurts.' (head = huvud → i huvudet)
Hint Follow the same structure as 'Jag har ont i halsen'.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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