Prepositions of place

There are a lot of shops (affärer, butiker) and many other places to where we can go, where we can be or that we can leave. Have you guessed that lesson’s topic is prepositions of place? These are those short words that stand in front of a noun to show where it is or where it is heading. So let’s dive right in! Or as the Swedes say, “pang på!” – Start without hesitation!

Man går eller åker TILL affären när man vill köpa något. = You walk or go TO the store when you want to buy something. (Usually ”till” = to. Not now though.) And when we are there, then where are we exactly? I know, we are in the shop, but are we ”i affären” or ”på affären”? (Just a short note: there are parts of Sweden, where they rather use ”butiken” instead of ”affären” for all kinds of shops.) But back to ”på” or ”i”? Generally, we can say that North of Stockholm we mostly hear ”Jag är på affären.” = I’m on the store. Most of the Swedes use ”i affären”, so this is what we will be practising, too:
Jag har varit i affären och handlat. = I’ve been to the store shopping.
When we are not walking or going on foot (går till fots), but take a vehicle (åker), then we say what again? Do you remember? Man kan åka buss, tåg, etc. = You can go by bus, train etc.

But what are we sitting or standing in? Or on?
How I learnt it was that we are sitting or standing ON that which we climb UP (ON) TO or step UP (ON) TO:
Jag kliver på bussen eller jag sätter mig på cykeln, så jag står på bussen eller jag sitter på cykeln. = I get on the bus or sit on the bike so I stand in the bus or sit on the bike.

We are IN that which we are sitting INTO:
Jag sätter mig i taxin eller i bilen, så jag sitter i taxin och i bilen. = I am getting into the taxi or into the car, so I am sitting in the taxi and in the car.

When we are going somewhere:
Jag åker till jobbet klockan 7:30. = I go to work at 07:30.
Han är alltid först på kontoret. = He is always the first at the office.
Jag sitter på tåget mot Malmö just nu. = I’m sitting on the train towards Malmö right now.

Places where we can be:
Min granne lånar gärna böcker på biblioteket. = My neighbor often borrows books from the library.