genom
Through
Genom means 'through' for physical movement (e.g., through a park) or 'by means of' for how something is achieved (e.g., through hard work).
How It Works
The preposition genom has two primary meanings in Swedish:
1. Physical Movement: 'Through'
This is the most direct translation. It describes moving from one side of an object or space to the other.
- Vi körde genom staden. (We drove through the city.)
- Bollen flög genom fönstret. (The ball flew through the window.)
2. Abstract Means: 'By means of', 'Via', 'Through'
Genom can also describe the method or instrument by which something is achieved. It explains how something happened.
- Han blev känd genom sina böcker. (He became famous through his books.)
- Jag fick informationen genom e-post. (I got the information via email.)
A very common and important construction is genom att + verb in the infinitive, which means 'by doing something'.
- Man lär sig bäst genom att öva. (One learns best by practicing.)
Genom can also extend across time, as in genom åren (through the years). In a genom att construction, att may introduce an infinitive or a finite clause: compare genom att öva (by practicing) and genom att hon hjälpte oss (through her helping us). The examples here focus on the infinitive pattern.
Examples (5)
- Tåget åker genom en lång tunnel.
The train travels through a long tunnel.
Word by Word: The train travels through a long tunnel.
- Vi promenerade genom den vackra parken.
We walked through the beautiful park.
Word by Word: We walked through the beautiful park.
- Solen skiner genom fönstret.
The sun is shining through the window.
Word by Word: The sun shines through the window.
- Hon fick jobbet genom en vän.
She got the job through a friend.
Word by Word: She got the job through a friend.
- Jag lärde mig svenska genom att lyssna på musik.
I learned Swedish by listening to music.
Word by Word: I learned me Swedish through to listen on music.
This example uses the common 'genom att + verb' structure to explain the method used.
Common Mistakes
Using i when the intended focus is passage through the forest.
Vi gick i skogen i två timmar för att komma till andra sidan.Vi gick genom skogen i två timmar för att komma till andra sidan.Both sentences are grammatical. I skogen locates the walking in the forest; genom skogen presents a route through it. The final purpose clause can supply a destination in either sentence. Choose genom when the route itself is the point.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'genom' (through) effectively, you need to understand how Swedish nouns are structured, particularly how to form the definite singular, as prepositions of place often refer to specific locations.
Related Patterns
- iIn
I can locate an action inside a place: Vi gick i skogen. Genom highlights passage through the place: Vi gick genom skogen. Both can accompany movement verbs.
Level 1 - genom attBy -ing
Genom att often introduces an infinitive describing a method. It can also introduce a finite clause with its own subject; the clause structure determines the following verb form.
Level 3 - tack vareThanks to
Tack vare usually presents a favorable cause, with ironic or adverse uses also possible. Genom more directly presents a means, route or cause without that usual favorable framing.
Level 4 - på grund avBecause Of/due to
'Because of' or 'due to'. Like the abstract 'genom', it explains a cause, but it is often used for neutral or negative reasons, whereas 'genom' is more neutral about the method.
Level 4 - utanWithout
Utan expresses absence. It can contrast with a specified means or resource in context, but it is not a general lexical opposite of genom.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice genom in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Swedish lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
