â Must-know
đ Use a possessive reflexive pronoun (sin, sitt or sina) when the pronoun is an object referring back to the subject; use a possessive pronoun such as hans, hennes or deras when it is the subject.
Further detail
In âHan Ă€lskar sin fru,â sin refers back to han, whereas âHan Ă€lskar hans fruâ refers to another male personâs wife.
In âKristina lyfte sjĂ€lv kronan av sitt huvud,â sitt refers back to Kristina.
Subject-owned possession uses sin; possession belonging to someone else uses hans, hennes or deras.
â Must-know
đ For the generalizing human subject man, the object form is en, the possessive form is ens, the reflexive possessive forms are sin, sitt and sina, and the reflexive pronoun is sig.
Further detail
In âMan lĂ€r sig sĂ„ lĂ€nge man lever,â man is the subject and sig is the reflexive object.
In âMan blir glad nĂ€r goda vĂ€nner kommer hem till en,â en is the object form of man.
In âOm man bjuder pĂ„ middag Ă€r det roligt om ens vĂ€nner tycker maten Ă€r god,â ens is the possessive form of man.
1. A writer wants to say that a man loves his own wife. Which possessive pronoun completes âHan Ă€lskar ___ fruâ?
2. In the sentence âKristina lyfte sjĂ€lv kronan av ___ huvud,â which form refers to Kristina, the subject?
3. A general statement uses man as its subject: âMan should wash ___ hands and then dry ___.â Which pair fills the blanks with the possessive reflexive form and the reflexive pronoun, respectively?
When does Swedish use sin, sitt, or sina instead of hans, hennes, or deras?
When the possessive refers back to the subject.
What is the object form of the generalizing Swedish subject man?
En.
In âHan Ă€lskar sin fru,â whom does sin refer back to?
Han.
What possessive form does man take in âOm man bjuder pĂ„ middag Ă€r det roligt om ens vĂ€nner tycker maten Ă€r godâ?
Ens.
When should Swedish writers use or avoid man?
Use man for an unspecified human subject; name the person when the intended person is specific.
How does SprÄkrÄdet compare man and en as subjects?
SprÄkrÄdet recommends man as more neutral than en.
It covers the core concepts of Swedish Pronouns: Man and Indefinites, organized by topic with the key definitions, explanations and takeaways, so it's easier to learn and remember.
Read the full study guide âThe practice quiz has 9 multiple-choice questions, each with an explanation. Use it to check what you know and find your gaps.
Take the quiz (9 questions) âThere are 10 flashcards on Swedish Pronouns: Man and Indefinites, with a question on the front and the answer on the back. Try to recall each answer before you flip, and let spaced repetition bring back the ones you miss.
See all 10 flashcards âUpload a PDF or paste your notes. Revizly writes a study guide, a practice quiz and flashcards in about a minute.