med
With
'Med' is a common preposition that primarily means 'with'. It's used to indicate accompaniment (being with someone/something) or the tool/instrument used to do something.
How It Works
'Med' is one of the most fundamental prepositions in Swedish. Its primary meaning is 'with'.
Main Uses of 'med':
1. Accompaniment (being together with someone or something)
You use 'med' to say that you are with a person or that something comes with something else.
- Jag bor med min familj. (I live with my family.)
- Vill du gå på bio med mig? (Do you want to go to the cinema with me?)
- Kaffe med mjölk, tack. (Coffee with milk, please.)
2. Instrument or Means (using something to do an action)
You also use 'med' to describe the tool, instrument, or method used to perform an action. In this sense, it can sometimes be translated as 'by'.
- Jag skriver med en penna. (I write with a pen.)
- Hon öppnade dörren med nyckeln. (She opened the door with the key.)
- Vi reser med tåg till Stockholm. (We are traveling by train to Stockholm.)
People, Tools, And Pronouns
Prata med min vän is the ordinary way to describe a conversation with my friend. Directed speech can instead be described with tala till någon. The contrast concerns the role of the other person; do not infer that every use of till near a speaking verb is impossible.
Use object pronouns after med: med mig, med dig, med oss. Compare Jag skriver med en penna, which names the instrument, with Brevet skrevs av Anna, which names the writer. Med is also a separate adverb or particle in expressions such as följa med, so not every occurrence has a following noun.
Examples (5)
- Jag pratar med min vän.
I'm talking with my friend.
Word by Word: I talk with my friend.
- Jag vill ha en pizza med extra ost.
I want a pizza with extra cheese.
Word by Word: I want have a pizza with extra cheese.
- Han skriver med en blå penna.
He is writing with a blue pen.
Word by Word: He writes with a blue pen.
- De åker med buss till skolan.
They go to school by bus.
Word by Word: They go with bus to the-school.
- Vill du fika med oss?
Do you want to have fika with us?
Word by Word: Want you fika with us?
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- iIn
'i' (in) is another common preposition. It's useful to learn 'med' and 'i' together to understand how prepositions describe relationships between objects and locations.
Level 1 - påOn/at
'på' (on/at) is a very frequent preposition, often learned alongside 'i' and 'med'. Understanding the different contexts for these basic prepositions is a core skill.
Level 1 - tillTo
'till' (to) is another essential preposition. It often indicates direction or a destination, which contrasts with 'med' indicating accompaniment or means.
Level 1 - frånFrom
Från can name a source while till can name a destination. Med often names a companion or means, but the meaning must be learned from the whole phrase: med strömmen means with the current.
Level 1 - avOf/by
'av' (of/by) can sometimes be confused with 'med'. While 'med' often indicates the instrument used to do something, 'av' can indicate the agent in a passive sentence. It's good to see the distinction early on.
Level 1
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