LW #36: Strong verbs - long and short "i"
- onlinesprakcafe
- Jan 21
- 2 min read

Strong verbs are verbs in Germanic languages whose tenses we change by changing the vowel in their stem.
They do not behave completely irregularly like irregular verbs, but they also do not follow the same patterns as verb groups 1-3 (regular or weak). This is mainly the case in the preteritum and perfekt.
Strong and irregular verbs make up the 4th verb group.
Examples of verbs in different verb groups:
verb group | infinitiv | presens | preteritum | perfekt | imperativ | English |
1 | att prata | pratar | pratade | har pratat | Prata! | to talk |
2 | att stänga | stänger | stängde | har stängt | Stäng! | to close |
3 | att må | mår | mådde | har mått | Må! | to feel |
4 - strong | att dricka | dricker | drack | har druckit | Drick! | to drink |
4 -irregular | att vara | är | var | har varit | Var! | to be |
Strong verbs form subgroups. Today we will get acquainted with two subgroups of strong verbs whose verb stem contains the vowel i.
Long "i" (followed by 1 consonant): i → e → i
Fill in the table!
infinitiv | presens | preteritum | perfekt | imperativ | English |
att bli (bliva) | blir (bliver) | blev | har blivit | Bli! | to become |
att driva | driver | drev | har drivit | Driv! | to run something |
att skriva | to write | ||||
att riva | to tear | ||||
att lida | to suffer | ||||
att rida | to ride | ||||
att skrika | to scream | ||||
att vrida | to twist |
Short "i" (followed by 2 consonants): i → a → u
Fill in the table!
infinitiv | presens | preteritum | perfekt | imperativ | English |
att dricka | dricker | drack | har druckit | Drick! | to drink |
att finna | finner | fann | har funnit | Finn! | to find |
att hinna | to keep up | ||||
att rinna | to flow | ||||
att spinna | to spin | ||||
att spricka | to crack | ||||
att springa | to run | ||||
att vinna | to win |
Correct answers
Long "i" (followed by 1 consonant): i → e → i
infinitiv | presens | preteritum | perfekt | imperativ | English |
att bli (bliva) | blir (bliver) | blev | har blivit | Bli! | to become |
att driva | driver | drev | har drivit | Driv! | to run something |
att skriva | skriver | skrev | har skrivit | Skriv! | to write |
att riva | river | rev | har rivit | Riv! | to tear |
att lida | lider | led | har lidit | Lid! | to suffer |
att rida | rider | red | har ridit | Rid! | to ride |
att skrika | skriker | skrek | har skrikit | Skrik! | to scream |
att vrida | vrider | vred | har vridit | Vrid! | to twist |
Short "i" (followed by 2 consonants): i → a → u
infinitiv | presens | preteritum | perfekt | imperativ | English |
att dricka | dricker | drack | har druckit | Drick! | to drink |
att finna | finner | fann | har funnit | Finn! | to find |
att hinna | hinner | hann | har hunnit | Hinn! | to make something in time |
att rinna | rinner | rann | har runnit | Rinn! | to flow |
att spinna | spinner | spann | har spunnit | Spinn! | to spin |
att spricka | spricker | sprack | har spruckit | Sprick! | to crack |
att springa | springer | sprang | har sprungit | Spring! | to run |
att vinna | vinner | vann | har vunnit | Vinn! | to win |



