vågar + Infinitive

Dare to

Level 4

Use vågar + a base verb (infinitive) to say you 'dare to' do something. Example: Jag vågar fråga (I dare to ask).

How It Works

vågar is a verb used to express that someone has the courage or nerve to do something. While it behaves very much like a modal verb (such as kan, vill, måste), it takes an infinitive complement that may include att. Unlike kan, it allows both vågar fråga and vågar att fråga.

Structure:
Subject + våga (inflected for tense) + (att) + Verb (infinitive) + ...

The verb vågar changes form depending on the tense, but the verb following it always stays in the infinitive (base form).

Conjugation of vågar:

  • Present (presens): vågar (dare/dares)
  • Past (preteritum): vågade (dared)
  • Perfect (perfekt): har vågat (have dared)
  • Pluperfect (pluskvamperfekt): hade vågat (had dared)
  • Future (futurum): ska våga / kommer att våga (will dare)

Negation:
To say someone does not dare to do something, in a subject-first present main clause, place inte after vågar. With an auxiliary, the positions change: Jag har inte vågat fråga. This is a very common usage.
Example: `Barnet vågar inte sova med lampan släckt.` (The child doesn't dare to sleep with the light off.)

In Questions:
In a simple present yes/no question, vågar comes first. With another finite auxiliary, that auxiliary comes first: Har du vågat fråga?
Example: `Vågar du hoppa?` (Do you dare to jump?)

Examples (5)

  1. Han vågar inte hoppa från den höga trampolinen.

    He doesn't dare to jump from the high diving board.

    Word by Word: He dares not jump from the high diving-board.

  2. Vågar du fråga chefen om löneförhöjning?

    Do you dare to ask the boss for a raise?

    Word by Word: Dare you ask the-boss about a-pay-raise?

  3. Hon vågade äntligen säga vad hon tyckte.

    She finally dared to say what she thought.

    Word by Word: She dared finally say what she thought.

  4. Jag har aldrig vågat prova bungyjump.

    I have never dared to try bungee jumping.

    Word by Word: I have never dared try bungee-jumping.

  5. Om du tränar mer kommer du att våga tala inför publik.

    If you practice more, you will dare to speak in front of an audience.

    Word by Word: If you practice more will you to dare speak before public.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding person agreement to the finite verb.

    Hon vågars fråga henne.
    Hon vågar fråga henne.

    Vågar has the same active present form with jag, hon and other subjects. Vågar att fråga is also a standard infinitive construction; att is optional here.

  • Conjugating the second verb

    Hon vågade sa sanningen.
    Hon vågade säga sanningen.

    Only the verb vågar is conjugated for tense (e.g., vågade for past tense). The verb that follows must always remain in its base form (infinitive), which is säga.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

vågar + InfinitiveLevel 4Dare to

Learn This First

To use 'vågar + infinitive', you need to understand how to conjugate verbs in the present tense and how to use the infinitive form of a secondary verb. It functions similarly to other modal verbs like 'kan' or 'vill', where the main verb is followed directly by another verb in its base form.

Words in This Pattern

våga