Det finns (There is/are) in Swedish

Overview

One of the first constructions you will encounter in Swedish is det finns, which translates to "there is" or "there are" in English. This existential construction is used to state that something exists in a general sense. Unlike English, Swedish does not change this phrase based on whether the subject is singular or plural — det finns works for both.

At the A1 level, mastering det finns is essential because it lets you talk about what exists in your surroundings, describe places, and make basic observations. You will also need to understand how it differs from det är, which is used for more temporary or specific situations.

How It Works

Swedish uses two main constructions where English uses "there is/there are":

Construction	Use	Example
det finns	General existence, permanent features	Det finns en park i staden. (There is a park in the city.)
det är	Temporary states, specific situations, weather	Det är kallt idag. (It is cold today.)

Key Rules

1. Det finns does not change form for singular or plural. The noun after it determines the number:

   • Det finns en bok på bordet. (There is a book on the table.)
   • Det finns många böcker på bordet. (There are many books on the table.)

2. Det finns is used for things that exist in a general, ongoing way:

   • Det finns tre sjukhus i staden. (There are three hospitals in the city.)

3. Det är is used for temporary or immediate situations:

   • Det är en katt i trädgården. (There is a cat in the garden — right now.)

4. In negative sentences, use inte:

   • Det finns inte något vatten. (There is no water.)

5. In questions, invert the word order:

   • Finns det en bank här? (Is there a bank here?)

Examples in Context

Swedish	English	Note
Det finns ett kafé på hörnet.	There is a café on the corner.	General existence
Det finns många studenter i klassen.	There are many students in the class.	Plural, same form
Finns det en toalett här?	Is there a toilet here?	Question with inversion
Det finns inte någon mjölk hemma.	There is no milk at home.	Negative with inte + någon
Det finns mycket att göra.	There is a lot to do.	Abstract existence
Det är en hund i parken.	There is a dog in the park.	Temporary/specific — use det är
Det finns fyra årstider i Sverige.	There are four seasons in Sweden.	General fact
Finns det plats för mig?	Is there room for me?	Question
Det finns inget problem.	There is no problem.	Negative with inget (ett-word)
Det finns bra restauranger i Malmö.	There are good restaurants in Malmö.	No article needed with plural

Common Mistakes

Using "det är" for general existence

• Wrong: Det är många museer i Stockholm.
• Right: Det finns många museer i Stockholm.
• Why: When talking about things that generally exist in a place (permanent features), use det finns, not det är.

Changing "finns" for plural

• Wrong: Det finnas många hundar här.
• Right: Det finns många hundar här.
• Why: Finns is the present tense of finnas and does not change regardless of singular or plural. The form is always det finns.

Forgetting inversion in questions

• Wrong: Det finns en bank här?
• Right: Finns det en bank här?
• Why: In Swedish questions, the verb comes before the subject. Swap det and finns to form a question.

Using the wrong negative form

• Wrong: Det finns inte en mjölk.
• Right: Det finns inte någon mjölk.
• Why: In negative sentences, Swedish typically uses någon/något/några (any) instead of the indefinite article en/ett.

Practice Tips

• Walk through your home or neighbourhood and describe what exists there: Det finns en soffa i vardagsrummet (There is a sofa in the living room). This builds both vocabulary and the det finns pattern.
• Practice turning statements into questions and negatives. Take Det finns en butik här and transform it into Finns det en butik här? and Det finns inte någon butik här.
• Listen to how native speakers choose between det finns and det är in podcasts or simple Swedish texts — the distinction will become intuitive over time.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Vara (to be) — Det finns is built on the verb finnas, but understanding vara helps you distinguish det är from det finns.
• Next steps: Basic Word Order — Once you can form existential sentences, learning general Swedish word order will help you build more complex statements.