mellan
Between
Mellan means 'between'. It shows that something is between two other things, not necessarily at the exact midpoint. For example, 'The cat is between the dogs'.
How It Works
Mellan usually corresponds to English between. It can describe relationships involving more than two parties, but it is not a general translation of among: bland is usual for being one member within a group. It's very versatile and can be used in several common contexts:
- Physical Location: To describe something physically situated between two objects.
Ex: Huset ligger mellan parken och skolan. (The house is located between the park and the school.) - Time: To specify a period between two points in time.
Ex: Jag jobbar mellan klockan nio och fem. (I work between nine and five o'clock.) - Relationships or Choices: To talk about a connection or choice involving two or more parties.
Ex: Du måste välja mellan den röda och den blå klänningen. (You have to choose between the red and the blue dress.)
Like Swedish prepositions generally, mellan is uninflected. Its complement normally follows it, but can be fronted: Vilka alternativ väljer du mellan? (Which alternatives are you choosing between?).
Examples (4)
- Boken ligger mellan lampan och datorn.
The book is lying between the lamp and the computer.
Word by Word: The book lies between the lamp and the computer.
- Vi kan träffas mellan klockan två och tre.
We can meet between two and three o'clock.
Word by Word: We can meet between clock two and three.
- Vad är skillnaden mellan en hund och en varg?
What is the difference between a dog and a wolf?
Word by Word: What is the difference between a dog and a wolf?
- Jönköping ligger mellan Stockholm och Malmö.
Jönköping is located between Stockholm and Malmö.
Word by Word: Jönköping lies between Stockholm and Malmö.
Common Mistakes
Confusing 'mellan' (between) with 'i' (in) when describing a location relative to two objects.
Affären är i banken och posten.Affären är mellan banken och posten.Use
ito say something is inside a place (e.g.,i banken- in the bank). Usemellanto say something is located between two separate places.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'mellan' effectively, you need to understand how to connect two items using 'och' (and) or how to refer to a group of items in their definite plural form.
- ochAnd
The conjunction 'och' (and) is frequently used with 'mellan' to connect the two distinct entities being compared or positioned.
Level 1 - -na/-aDefinite Plural Suffix
The preposition 'mellan' is often used with plural definite nouns (e.g., 'mellan husen') to indicate a position between a group of objects.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- bredvidNext To/beside
Both
Level 1mellanandbredvidare prepositions of place.Mellanplaces something between two points, whilebredvidplaces it to the side of one point. - bakomBehind
Another common preposition of place.
Level 1Bakomdescribes what is at the back of something, whilemellandescribes what is between two things. - framförIn Front of
The opposite of
Level 1bakom.Framfördescribes what is at the front, contrasting withmellanwhich describes a position relative to two sides. - iIn
Level 1iis used for being inside something, whilemellanis for being between things. They describe different spatial relationships. - påOn/at
Level 1påis used for being on a surface or at a general location, whereasmellanis specific to the space separating two or more objects.
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice mellan in Bubblegum
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