Swedish Pronouns

Learning pronouns in Swedish, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and parts of Finland, is essential for mastering both spoken and written communication. Swedish pronouns are characterized by their forms according to person, number, gender (where applicable), and case. This guide covers personal, possessive, demonstrative, reflexive, and interrogative pronouns, providing detailed explanations and examples for each.

Personal Pronouns

Subject Pronouns:

• Jag (I): “Jag äter.” – I am eating.
• Du (You – singular informal): “Du springer.” – You are running.
• Han (He) / Hon (She): “Han läser.” / “Hon skriver.” – He reads. / She writes.
• Den (It – for common gender nouns) / Det (It – for neuter nouns): “Den är stor.” / “Det är litet.” – It is big. / It is small.
• Vi (We): “Vi studerar.” – We are studying.
• Ni (You – plural or formal): “Ni sjunger.” – You are singing.
• De (They): “De dansar.” – They are dancing.

Object Pronouns:

• Mig (Me): “Han ser mig.” – He sees me.
• Dig (You – singular informal): “Jag känner dig.” – I know you.
• Honom (Him) / Henne (Her): “Jag träffade honom.” / “Jag hjälpte henne.” – I met him. / I helped her.
• Oss (Us): “De följer oss.” – They follow us.
• Er (You – plural or formal): “Vi ser er.” – We see you.
• Dem (Them): “Vi respekterar dem.” – We respect them.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns indicate ownership and must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

• Min (My – common singular) / Mitt (My – neuter singular) / Mina (My – plural): “Min bok.” / “Mitt hus.” / “Mina böcker.” – My book. / My house. / My books.
• Din (Your – singular informal) / Ditt / Dina: “Din cykel.” / “Ditt brev.” / “Dina skor.” – Your bike. / Your letter. / Your shoes.
• Hans (His) / Hennes (Her): “Hans bil.” / “Hennes hund.” – His car. / Her dog.
• Vår (Our) / Vårt / Våra: “Vår familj.” / “Vårt hem.” / “Våra vänner.” – Our family. / Our home. / Our friends.
• Er (Your – plural or formal) / Ert / Era: “Er bok.” / “Ert hus.” / “Era barn.” – Your book. / Your house. / Your children.
• Deras (Their): “Deras trädgård.” – Their garden.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns point to specific nouns and vary based on proximity.

• Den här (This – common gender) / Det här (This – neuter gender): “Den här stolen.” / “Det här bordet.” – This chair. / This table.
• Den där (That – common gender) / Det där (That – neuter gender): “Den där bilen.” / “Det där trädet.” – That car. / That tree.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject performs an action upon itself.

• Sig (Himself/Herself/Itself/Themselves): “Han tvättar sig.” – He washes himself.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions about people, places, or things.

• Vem (Who): “Vem är det?” – Who is it?
• Vad (What): “Vad gör du?” – What are you doing?
• Vilken (Which – common gender singular) / Vilket (Which – neuter gender singular) / Vilka (Which – plural): “Vilken bok läser du?” / “Vilket äpple åt du?” / “Vilka filmer såg du?” – Which book are you reading? / Which apple did you eat? / Which movies did you see?

Understanding and correctly using Swedish pronouns is vital for navigating both simple and complex conversations. Practice forming sentences with each type of pronoun, and try to engage in conversations or writing exercises to apply these concepts actively. Remember, context and the nuances of Swedish grammar play a significant role in choosing the correct pronoun form.