<\/p>\n
Many of you already know that Swedish employs reflexive verbs, just like in German or Spanish. For example,<\/p>\n
Albert rakar sig<\/strong>.<\/em> – Albert is shaving<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In the example, att raka sig<\/em> means “to shave (oneself)”. It differs from att raka<\/em> (i.e., without sig<\/em>), in that it refers specifically to the subject shaving her\/himself. Without the reflexive pronoun (in this case, sig<\/em>), there would have to be some other object:<\/p>\n Albert rakar<\/strong> Erik.<\/span><\/em> – Albert is shaving<\/strong> Erik<\/span>.<\/p>\n Att raka<\/em> is a verb that always requires an object. In the first example, that object is sig<\/em>, and in the second, it’s Erik<\/em>. *Albert rakar.<\/em> is an incorrect sentence because att raka<\/em> cannot<\/strong> lack an object.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But Swedish allows us to be even more specific than that.<\/strong> To really emphasize that Albert is shaving his own face, rather than someone else’s, you can attach sj\u00e4lv<\/em> “self” to the object. See here:<\/p>\n Katja:\u00a0 Rakar<\/strong> Albert Erik<\/span>?<\/em> – Is<\/strong> Albert shaving<\/strong> Erik<\/em><\/span>?<\/em> When you add sj\u00e4lv<\/em>, it makes it extra clear that Albert is shaving his own face (and not Erik. In case you’re wondering, Erik is a cat who doesn’t want to be shaven).<\/p>\n Sj\u00e4lv<\/em> is not only used with sig<\/em>; it is also used with mig<\/em>, dig<\/em>, oss<\/em> and er<\/em> when used reflexively.<\/p>\n Sj\u00e4lv<\/em> must be declined based on the subject in the sentence. It follows the same pattern as every other normal adjective – -t<\/em> for neuter subjects and -a<\/em> for plural subjects (regardless of grammatical gender).<\/p>\n Tr\u00e4det<\/span> v\u00e4lte sig sj\u00e4lvt<\/span>.<\/em> – The tree tipped itself over. (It wasn’t the wind.)<\/p>\n Vi<\/span> tar hand om oss sj\u00e4lva<\/span>.<\/em> – We take care of ourselves. (No one else does.)<\/p>\n As a side note, sj\u00e4lv<\/em> can also be used in other ways. More on this in another post.<\/p>\n One final thing to remember:<\/strong> Sj\u00e4lv<\/em> is used after the relfexive form of a pronoun, not<\/strong> the genitive\/possessive form. Unlike in English, “outselves” is not translated as *v\u00e5ra sj\u00e4lva<\/em> in Swedish! The correct form is oss sj\u00e4lva<\/em>. The same goes for mig sj\u00e4lv<\/em>, dig sj\u00e4lv<\/em>, sig sj\u00e4lv\/sj\u00e4lvt<\/em>; er sj\u00e4lva, sig sj\u00e4lva<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many of you already know that Swedish employs reflexive verbs, just like in German or Spanish. For example, Albert rakar sig. – Albert is shaving. In the example, att raka sig means “to shave (oneself)”. It differs from att raka (i.e., without sig), in that it refers specifically to the subject shaving her\/himself. Without…<\/p>\n
\nCarolina:\u00a0 Nej, Albert rakar<\/strong> sig sj\u00e4lv<\/span>.<\/em> – No, Albert is shaving<\/strong> himself<\/span>.<\/p>\n