bör

Should/ought to

Level 2

bör = should / ought to Use it to give advice or make a recommendation. Example: Du bör sova mer. (You should sleep more.)

How It Works

bör is one of the most common modal verbs in Swedish. It's used to express what is considered the right, appropriate, or advisable thing to do. When followed by an overt verb phrase, bör takes an infinitive without the infinitive marker att. Main Uses of bör:

  • Giving Advice or Recommendations: This is the most common use.
    Ex: Du bör äta frukost varje dag. (You should eat breakfast every day.)
  • Expressing Propriety or Moral Obligation: Stating what is generally considered the correct way to behave.
    Ex: Man bör hjälpa sina vänner. (One should help one's friends.)
  • Indicating Probability or Likelihood: Suggesting that something is likely to happen or be true.
    Ex: Mötet bör vara slut vid fem. (The meeting should be over by five.)

bör vs. borde
borde is the past tense form of bör, but it's very often used in the present tense to give softer, more polite advice. In many situations, bör and borde are interchangeable for giving advice.

  • Du bör ringa henne. (You should call her. - more direct advice)
  • Du borde ringa henne. (You should call her. - slightly softer advice)

Borde can also refer to past norms or expectations without ha: Hon visste hur hon borde bete sig. Borde ha + supine places the expected or advisable event earlier and often conveys an unrealized expectation or regret. Ex: Jag borde ha studerat mer. (I should have studied more.)

Examples (5)

  1. Du bör dricka mer vatten.

    You should drink more water.

    Word by Word: You should drink more water.

  2. Vi bör boka biljetterna snart.

    We should book the tickets soon.

    Word by Word: We should book the-tickets soon.

  3. Han bör vara framme nu.

    He should be there by now.

    Word by Word: He should be arrived now.

    Here, 'bör' is used to express probability or a logical expectation.

  4. Man bör inte ljuga för sina föräldrar.

    One shouldn't lie to one's parents.

    Word by Word: One should not lie to one's parents.

  5. Borde jag ta med en jacka?

    Should I bring a jacket?

    Word by Word: Should I take with a jacket?

    The form 'borde' is very common for asking for advice in questions, as it sounds a bit softer.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'att' after 'bör'.

    Du bör att studera mer.
    Du bör studera mer.

    Before the infinitive studera, bör does not take the marker att. Other verbs that express modality have their own construction patterns; learn the complement of each verb.

  • Conjugating the main verb after 'bör'.

    Hon bör läser boken.
    Hon bör läsa boken.

    The verb that follows a modal verb must be in its base (infinitive) form (läsa), not a conjugated form like the present tense (läser).

How It Connects

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

börLevel 2Should/ought to

Learn This First

To understand 'bör' (should/ought to), a learner needs to be familiar with basic verb usage and sentence structure. Since 'bör' is a modal verb, it follows the same syntactic rules as 'kan' or 'vill', where it is paired with a main verb in the infinitive form.

Words in This Pattern

böra