What's the difference between "där" and "vart" in Swedish?

Question

I always thought that when saying "where", you use "där", but I see some people saying "vart".

Example:

Jag vet vart jag står.

I would've said "Jag vet där jag står."

Which is correct and why?

PS: I know där also means there =P

Answer 1

No, "where" is translated as "Var" or Vart".

"Var" is used when asking where something is located. "Vart" is used when involving movement.

Där means "there".

Where are you going? = Vart ska du gå? (going somewhere=movement)

Where is my sock? = Var är min strumpa? (located somewhere=location)

My sock is there. = Min strumpa är där.

"Jag vet vart jag står" isn't proper Swedish (although, when speaking a lot of people will say this). It should be "Jag vet var jag står. You are standing somewhere=location. As opposed to "Jag vet vart jag ska gå". "I know where I'm going to go". You use "vart" because you are talking about a movement. You are going somewhere.

"Jag vet där jag står" isn't proper Swedish.

Keep up the good work!

Answer 2

In English, "where" can start either a (direct or indirect) question or a relative clause.  In Swedish, "vart" starts a question, "där" doesn't.  In the sentence "Jag vet vart jag stÃ¥r", "vart" starts an indirect question.

By the way, based on what I learned at school, I would've written, "Jag vet var jag stÃ¥r."  I'm not sure if "vart" is really accepted as standard there.  A web search suggests "var" is indeed more common, but "vart" occurs much too frequently to be a simple typo.