Expressions with prepositions can be divided into:

  • Prepositions of time

  • Prepositions of place

Rules for the use of prepositions are difficult to give, but there are some rules for prepositions of time.

 

Prepositions of Time

Prepositions are words like by, in, in front of, on. You cannot always use English prepositions in the same way as in Swedish. The most common preposition in English is of.

 

Of

Of a cup of tea
a girl of 14
no sense of homour
the advantage of having a car
the battle of Hastings
Don't take any notice of it!
Take advantage of this offer
Will you take care of this?
en kopp
en flicka på 14
sinne för
fördelen med
slaget vid
bry sig om
utnyttja
ta hand om

 

 

In, at, on

In years
months
seasons
parts of the day
in 1997
in January
in the spring
in the afternoon
in the evening
On days


dates
on Monday
on your birthday
on Christmas Eve
on 15th August (Br.) - "on the fifteenth of August"
on August 15th (Am.) - "on August the 15th"
At hours
minutes
night
dawn
Christmas
Easter
at six o'clock
at ten to six
at night
at dawn
at Christmas
at Easter

 

Some other examples of prepositions of time

English Swedish
I'll see you in ten minutes. ...om tio minuter.
I've been waiting here for two hours. ...i två timmar.
I came here two hours ago. ...för två timmar sedan.
I haven't been here since last year. ...sedan förra året.