utan
Without
Use 'utan' to say 'without' something. It's followed by a noun, for example: 'kaffe utan socker' (coffee without sugar).
How It Works
The Swedish word utan is a preposition that means 'without'. It's used to show that something is not included or is absent.
The structure is simple: utan + noun.
- Jag dricker te utan mjölk. (I drink tea without milk.)
- Ett hus utan fönster. (A house without windows.)
It's important to know that there is another word, also spelled 'utan', which is a conjunction meaning 'but rather'. This is different from the preposition 'utan' and is often used after a negative statement. For example: 'Jag vill inte ha te, utan kaffe.' (I don't want tea, but rather coffee). This lesson focuses only on the preposition 'without'.
Pronouns And Actions
After the preposition use an object pronoun: utan mig, utan henne, utan oss. For an action, use utan att: Han gick utan att säga något. A full clause is possible too: Han gick utan att jag märkte det.
Inte med is possible in an explicit contrast: med socker, inte med mjölk. It is not an ungrammatical sequence, although utan mjölk is the direct way to request coffee without milk.
Examples (4)
- Jag dricker kaffe utan socker.
I drink coffee without sugar.
Word by Word: I drink coffee without sugar.
- Hon gick ut utan en jacka.
She went out without a jacket.
Word by Word: She went out without a jacket.
- Man kan inte leva utan vatten.
One cannot live without water.
Word by Word: One can not live without water.
- Barnen leker utan skor.
The children are playing without shoes.
Word by Word: The children play without shoes.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'utan' (without), you should first understand basic noun structures, including genders and articles, as these follow the preposition. It is also helpful to understand its opposite, 'med' (with), to grasp how Swedish prepositions function in simple phrases.
- medWith
Understanding the preposition for 'with' provides the necessary conceptual contrast for learning 'without' (utan).
Level 1 - Noun genders
Since 'utan' is a preposition followed by nouns, understanding noun genders is essential for using it correctly with articles or adjectives.
Foundations - Indefinite articles
Prepositions like 'utan' are frequently used with indefinite nouns to express the absence of something (e.g., 'utan en vän').
Foundations
Related Patterns
- inteNot
Negation. 'Utan' expresses the absence of a noun, which is a form of negation, similar to how 'inte' negates a verb or a whole clause.
Level 1 - menBut
Common confusion. There is another word 'utan' that means 'but rather'. This is often confused with 'men' (but). It's important to distinguish the preposition 'utan' (without) from the conjunction 'utan' (but rather).
Level 1 - iIn
Basic prepositions. Like 'i' (in) and 'på' (on), 'utan' is a core preposition used to describe relationships between things in a sentence.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice utan in Bubblegum
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