{"id":5620,"date":"2012-07-09T12:15:23","date_gmt":"2012-07-09T12:15:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/?p=5620"},"modified":"2012-07-04T17:57:15","modified_gmt":"2012-07-04T17:57:15","slug":"making-active-verbs-passive-in-swedish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/making-active-verbs-passive-in-swedish\/","title":{"rendered":"Making active verbs passive in Swedish"},"content":{"rendered":"

One thing that separates Swedish from English is that you can often make active verbs in Swedish passive by simply adding an -s<\/em> to the end of the active form. For example:<\/p>\n

att sparka <\/em>(to kick) \u2192 att sparkas <\/em>(to be kicked)<\/p>\n

We can use each of these forms of the word in a sentence to clarify the difference:<\/p>\n

Tobias sparkade_<\/span> mig.<\/em> – Tobias kicked<\/span> me.<\/p>\n

Jag sparkades<\/span><\/span> av Tobias.<\/em> – I was kicked<\/span> by Tobias.<\/p>\n

This method of making active verbs passive can be used on any transitive (object-requiring) verb. Intransitive (object-rejecting) verbs cannot, however, be passivated, but that’s not something you really need to think about since it wouldn’t make sense to. For example, dansa<\/em> is an intransitive verb:<\/p>\n

Kalle dansade \u00f6ver golvet.<\/em> – Kalle danced across the floor.<\/p>\n

*Kalle dansades \u00f6ver golvet.<\/em> – *Kalle was danced across the floor.<\/p>\n

The second example doesn’t make sense. Like in English, you probably won’t be prone to forming passive verbs that don’t make sense, so this is a rule that you probably don’t need to remember.<\/p>\n

Another way to make an active verb passive is by applying this formula:<\/p>\n

att bli <\/em>[verb in past participle form]<\/p>\n

For example:<\/p>\n

Jag blev<\/span> sparkad<\/span> av Tobias.<\/em> – I was<\/span> kicked<\/span> by Tobias.<\/p>\n

As this form is more similar to the English way of saying it than the -s<\/em>-passive, you may want to stick to it at first, but be able to recognize the -s<\/em>-passive. Like the -s<\/em>-passive, though, keep in mind that it does not work for intransitive verbs. Also, there is a slight nuance between the -s<\/em>-passive and the bli<\/em>+participle passive, but to be able to recognize it, you should get some practice with native or experienced Swedish speakers.<\/p>\n

As a side note, there are verbs that do end in -s<\/em> and are not<\/span> passive, such as att hoppas<\/em> (to hope), att finnas<\/em> (to exist, to be), and att l\u00e5tsas<\/em> (to pretend). These verbs are called deponense verbs and have active (contrary to passive) meanings.<\/p>\n

Good luck!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One thing that separates Swedish from English is that you can often make active verbs in Swedish passive by simply adding an -s to the end of the active form. For example: att sparka (to kick) \u2192 att sparkas (to be kicked) We can use each of these forms of the word in a sentence…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3079],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5620","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-swedish-language"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t