B1 Passive & Reported Speech 7 min read Schwer

Passive and Reported

Turn actions around with '-s' and move 'inte' forward when reporting what someone said.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use the '-s' suffix for passive actions and 'att' with shifted word order to report what others said.

  • Add '-s' to the verb to make it passive: 'Huset målas' (The house is being painted).
  • Use 'bli' + past participle for dynamic passive: 'Han blev biten' (He got bitten).
  • In reported speech, 'inte' comes BEFORE the verb: 'Han sa att han inte kom'.
Subject + Verb-s | Person + säger + att + Subject + (inte) + Verb

Overview

## Overview: The Power of Perspective
In Swedish, mastering the passive voice and reported speech is like learning to change the camera angle in a movie. The passive voice allows you to focus on the result of an action rather than who did it. This is incredibly useful in news reporting, scientific writing, and formal instructions.
For example, instead of saying 'The chef cooks the food,' you can say Maten lagas (The food is cooked). Swedish is unique because it has two main ways to form the passive: the elegant -s suffix and the more dynamic bli construction.
Reported speech, on the other hand, is the art of gossip, news, and professional updates. It allows you to relay information without quoting someone word-for-word. However, Swedish adds a twist: when you move from direct speech ('Jag kommer inte') to reported speech ('Han säger att han inte kommer'), the word order changes.
This is the famous BIFF-regeln, which is a cornerstone of B1 level Swedish. Understanding these structures makes your Swedish sound more sophisticated and allows you to participate in complex discussions about what has happened and what others have claimed.
## How to Form It: The S-Suffix and the BIFF Rule
To form the S-passive, you generally take the active form of the verb and add an -s. If the verb ends in -r (like in the present tense), you remove the -r before adding the -s. For example: målar (paints) becomes målas (is painted).
In the past tense, målade becomes målades. This form is very common in signs, recipes, and news.
The Bli-passive uses the verb bli (to become/be) followed by the past participle. The participle must agree in number and gender with the subject. Huset blev målat (The house was painted - neuter) vs Bilen blev målad (The car was painted - common).
For Reported Speech, the most critical part is the word order in the subordinate clause. We use the acronym BIFF: 'I Bisats kommer Inte Före det Finita verbet' (In a subordinate clause, 'not' comes before the finite verb).
Direct: 'Jag dricker inte kaffe.'
Reported: 'Han säger att han inte dricker kaffe.'
Notice how inte jumped in front of the verb! This applies to all sentence adverbs like kanske (maybe), alltid (always), and aldrig (never).
## When to Use It: From News to Gossip
You will encounter the S-passive everywhere in Swedish society. Look at a milk carton: Öppnas här (Opened here). Read a newspaper: Mannen greps av polisen (The man was arrested by the police).
It is the default for formal, objective communication. The Bli-passive is more common in spoken Swedish when describing something that happened to a person, especially if it was unexpected or sudden: Jag blev rånad! (I was robbed!).
Reported speech is essential for daily life. In a job interview, you might report what your previous boss said: Min chef sa att jag var mycket noggrann. In social settings, you use it to relay plans: Sara sa att hon inte kunde komma ikväll. It is also the primary way to report news: Radion rapporterade att priserna har stigit. Mastering the shift in tenses (backshift) is also key: if the reporting verb is in the past (sa), the reported verb often moves back in time (är becomes var).
## Common Mistakes: The Word Order Trap
The #1 mistake for B1 learners is keeping the active word order in reported speech. Many say *'Han sa att han kommer inte'* instead of the correct Han sa att han inte kommer. Remember, the att-clause is a subordinate clause, and adverbs love to be in front of the verb there.
Another mistake is overusing the passive. Swedish prefers active sentences when the doer is known. Don't say Boken lästes av mig (The book was read by me) if you can say Jag läste boken. The passive is for when the doer is unknown, irrelevant, or you want to be formal.
Lastly, learners often forget to remove the -r before adding -s. It's not *'målars'*, it's målas. It's not *'köpers'*, it's köps. This small spelling error can make your writing look messy.
## How It's Different From... English and German
If you speak English, you are used to the 'to be + past participle' construction (The house *is* built). Swedish can do this with bli, but the s-passive is a unique Germanic feature that English lacks. English speakers often try to use är (is) to form the passive, like *'Huset är byggt'*.
While this is grammatically possible, it describes a *state* (The house is [already] built), not the *action* of building. To describe the action, you must use Huset byggs or Huset blir byggt.
Compared to German, Swedish reported speech is actually simpler because it doesn't require the Konjunktiv I mood. You just use the indicative and focus on the word order. However, the BIFF rule for word order is stricter in Swedish than the equivalent structures in many other languages.
## CEFR-Level Explanations
A1: At this level, you mostly use direct speech. You say: 'Jag är glad.' If you want to say what someone else said, you just say: 'Han säger: Jag är glad.' You don't need the passive voice yet. Just focus on simple sentences like 'Bilen är röd' (The car is red).
A2: You start using 'att' (that) to report things. 'Hon säger att hon är trött.' You also see simple passive forms on signs, like 'Stängs' (Closed) or 'Säljes' (For sale). You don't need to worry about the word order rules for 'inte' yet, but you should recognize that '-s' at the end of a verb can mean it's passive.
B1: This is where you master the 'BIFF-rule'. You must remember that in reported speech, 'inte' comes before the verb: 'Jag tror att det inte regnar.' You also learn to use the s-passive for formal writing and the bli-passive for events. You understand the difference between 'Huset målas' (action) and 'Huset är målat' (result).
B2: You use the passive voice to sound more professional in essays. You can distinguish between the s-passive (process) and the bli-passive (event) with ease. In reported speech, you correctly shift tenses (backshift) when the reporting verb is in the past: 'Han sa att han hade varit där' (He said he had been there).
You also use more complex reporting verbs like 'påstå' (claim) or 'medge' (admit).
C1: You use the passive voice to manipulate focus and tone in complex texts. You are aware of the 'deponent verbs'—verbs that end in -s but are active (like 'andas' - breathe). In reported speech, you can handle multiple nested subordinate clauses while maintaining perfect word order and nuanced tense shifts.
You use the passive to create an objective, academic distance.
C2: You have a near-native grasp of the stylistic nuances between s-passive, bli-passive, and the 'man' (one) construction. You can use archaic or highly formal passive structures found in legal or religious texts. Your reported speech is flawless, even when using complex modal verbs and subtle pragmatic markers that change the meaning of the reported statement.

Meanings

Passive voice shifts focus from the doer to the action or receiver, while reported speech conveys information from another source without direct quotation.

1

S-Passive (Formal/Process)

Formed by adding -s to the verb. Used for general truths, instructions, or formal reports.

“Affären stängs klockan 22:00.”

“Beslutet fattas i morgon.”

2

Bli-Passive (Dynamic/Event)

Formed with 'bli' (become) + past participle. Focuses on a specific event or change.

“Han blev vald till ordförande.”

“Fönstret blev krossat av bollen.”

3

Reported Statements

Reporting what someone said using 'att' (that). Requires subordinate clause word order.

“Hon säger att hon är glad.”

“De sa att de skulle komma.”

4

Reported Questions

Reporting a question using 'om' (if/whether) or a question word.

“Han frågar om jag vill fika.”

“Hon undrade var jag bodde.”

S-Passive Formation

Infinitive Present Active Present Passive Past Active Past Passive
måla målar målas målade målades
skriva skriver skrivs skrev skrevs
läsa läser läsas läste lästes
stänga stänger stängs stängde stängdes
se ser ses såg sågs
göra gör görs gjorde gjordes

Bli-Passive (bli + past participle)

Subject Bli (Tense) Past Participle English
Jag blir lurad I am being tricked
Huset blev sålt The house was sold
Böckerna blir lästa The books are being read
Vi har blivit bjudna We have been invited

Reference Table

Reference table for Passive and Reported
Form Structure Example
S-Passiv (Pres) Verb stem + -s Huset målas.
S-Passiv (Past) Preterite + -s Huset målades.
Bli-Passiv bli + participle Han blev vald.
Reported Statement att + sub. clause Hon sa att hon kom.
Reported Question om + sub. clause Han frågade om jag kom.
Reported Negative att + inte + verb De sa att de inte kom.
Reported Modal att + modal + verb Vi sa att vi kunde hjälpa till.

Formalitätsspektrum

Formell
Dörren stängs.

Dörren stängs. (Closing a shop or room)

Neutral
Dörren blir stängd.

Dörren blir stängd. (Closing a shop or room)

Informell
De stänger dörren.

De stänger dörren. (Closing a shop or room)

Umgangssprache
Nu ryker dörren.

Nu ryker dörren. (Closing a shop or room)

Passive Voice Types

Passiv

S-Passiv

  • målas is painted
  • skrivs is written

Bli-Passiv

  • blir vald is elected
  • blev biten was bitten

Direct vs Reported Word Order

Direct Speech
Jag kommer inte. I am not coming.
Reported Speech
Han säger att han INTE kommer. He says that he is NOT coming.

Is it Passive or Active?

1

Is the subject doing the action?

YES
Use Active Voice
NO
Use Passive Voice
2

Is it a formal process?

YES
Use S-Passiv
NO
Use Bli-Passiv

Reported Speech Verbs

💬

Statements

  • • säger
  • • berättar
  • • påstår
❓

Questions

  • • frågar
  • • undrar
  • • vill veta
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Examples by Level

1

Han säger: 'Jag kommer.'

He says: 'I am coming.'

2

Hon säger: 'Jag är hungrig.'

She says: 'I am hungry.'

3

Bilen är tvättad.

The car is washed.

4

Dörren är stängd.

The door is closed.

1

Han säger att han kommer.

He says that he is coming.

2

Huset säljes.

House for sale (is being sold).

3

Jag blev glad.

I became happy.

4

Hon frågar om du är här.

She asks if you are here.

1

Han sa att han inte ville äta.

He said that he didn't want to eat.

2

Maten lagas i köket.

The food is being cooked in the kitchen.

3

Han blev biten av en hund.

He was bitten by a dog.

4

De undrade varför vi inte ringde.

They wondered why we didn't call.

1

Det påstås att skatterna ska sänkas.

It is claimed that taxes will be lowered.

2

Hon medgav att hon hade gjort ett misstag.

She admitted that she had made a mistake.

3

Beslutet fattades utan diskussion.

The decision was made without discussion.

4

Han frågade om jag inte hade sett filmen.

He asked if I hadn't seen the movie.

1

Åtgärderna anses vara otillräckliga.

The measures are considered to be insufficient.

2

Det konstaterades att inga fel hade begåtts.

It was established that no errors had been committed.

3

Han lät meddela att han inte avsåg att avgå.

He had it announced that he did not intend to resign.

4

Boken har översatts till trettio språk.

The book has been translated into thirty languages.

1

Vederbörande uppmanas att omedelbart inställa sig.

The person in question is requested to report immediately.

2

Det torde kunna ifrågasättas huruvida metoden är effektiv.

It ought to be possible to question whether the method is effective.

3

Huset sägs vara hemsökt av andar.

The house is said to be haunted by spirits.

4

Han föregavs ha handlat i nödvärn.

He was alleged to have acted in self-defense.

Easily Confused

Passive and Reported vs. S-passiv vs. Deponent Verbs

Some verbs end in -s but are active (e.g., 'andas', 'hoppas', 'trivas'). Learners think they are passive.

Passive and Reported vs. Bli-passiv vs. Vara-passiv

Learners confuse the action (bli) with the state (vara).

Passive and Reported vs. Reported vs. Direct Word Order

Mixing up where 'inte' goes.

Häufige Fehler

✗

Han säger jag är glad.

✓

Han säger att han är glad.

Missing the conjunction 'att' and the pronoun shift.
✗

Hon säger: hon kommer.

✓

Hon säger att hon kommer.

Needs 'att' for reported speech.
✗

Jag är bjudit.

✓

Jag är bjuden.

Wrong participle agreement.
✗

Bilen tvättas av jag.

✓

Bilen tvättas av mig.

Using subject pronoun instead of object after 'av'.
✗

Huset målar.

✓

Huset målas.

Missing the -s for passive voice.
✗

Han säger att han kommer inte.

✓

Han säger att han inte kommer.

Wrong word order in reported speech.
✗

Jag blev bitit.

✓

Jag blev biten.

Participle must agree with 'jag' (common gender).
✗

Hon frågar om du kommer?

✓

Hon frågar om du kommer.

Adding a question mark to a reported question.
✗

Beslutet fattas av vi.

✓

Beslutet fattas av oss.

Wrong pronoun case after 'av'.
✗

Han sa att han ska komma.

✓

Han sa att han skulle komma.

Failure to backshift tenses in reported speech.
✗

Maten har blivit lagat.

✓

Maten har blivit lagad.

Participle agreement error (mat is common gender).
✗

Hon undrade vad klockan är.

✓

Hon undrade vad klockan var.

Tense shift in reported question.
✗

Det sades att han har flyttat.

✓

Det sades att han hade flyttat.

Incorrect perfect tense backshift.
✗

Man andas djupt.

✓

Man andas djupt.

Mistaking 'andas' (deponent) for a passive verb.
✗

Boken översattes av han.

✓

Boken översattes av honom.

Pronoun case error in formal writing.
✗

Det anses att han är bäst.

✓

Han anses vara bäst.

Clunky structure compared to the more elegant infinitive passive.

Sentence Patterns

Hen sa att hen ___ ___.

Huset ___ av ___.

Jag blev ___ när ___.

Det ___ att ___.

Real World Usage

Reading a News Article constant

Mannen misstänks för brott.

Texting a Friend very common

Hon sa att hon inte hinner.

Job Interview occasional

Jag blev rekommenderad av min förra chef.

Cooking from a Recipe common

Löken stekas tills den är mjuk.

Social Media Gossip very common

Det sägs att de har gjort slut.

Public Transport Announcements constant

Tåget beräknas ankomma i tid.

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💡

The BIFF Trick

If you are unsure where 'inte' goes in reported speech, just remember it always wants to be close to the person (subject) and before the action (verb).
⚠️

Don't over-passive!

Swedish sounds more natural in the active voice. Only use the passive if the doer is truly unknown or you are writing something very formal.
🎯

S-passiv for Instructions

When writing a manual or a recipe, use the s-passiv (e.g., 'Tryckas här') to sound like a native professional.
💬

Softening with Passive

Use 'Det sägs...' (It is said...) to share information without taking personal responsibility for its accuracy.

Smart Tips

Always check if 'inte' is BEFORE the verb. If it's after, it's almost certainly wrong in Swedish.

Jag sa att jag kommer inte. → Jag sa att jag inte kommer.

Remove the question mark and the 'do-support' (if you're thinking in English). Just use the question word + subject + verb.

Han frågade var bor jag? → Han frågade var jag bodde.

If it's a headline or a sign, go with -s. If it's a story about something that happened to you, go with bli.

Jag påkördes av en bil. → Jag blev påkörd av en bil.

Make sure the pronoun after 'av' is in the object form (mig, dig, honom, henne, oss, dem).

Boken lästes av han. → Boken lästes av honom.

Aussprache

/s/

The '-s' suffix

The 's' at the end of a passive verb is voiceless and short.

Han sa att han INTE kommer.

BIFF Intonation

In reported speech, the stress often falls on the 'inte' to emphasize the negation.

Reported Question

Han frågar var jag bor ↘

Falling intonation at the end, unlike a direct question.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

BIFF: I Bisats kommer Inte Före det Finita verbet (In a subordinate clause, 'not' comes before the finite verb).

Visual Association

Imagine a 'Not' (inte) jumping over a 'Verb' hurdle to get to the front of the line in a reported speech race.

Rhyme

Om du vill berätta vad någon sa, sätt 'inte' först så blir det bra!

Story

A reporter named Sven always uses '-s' to sound professional on TV, but when he gossips with friends using 'att', he always puts 'inte' first to keep the secret safe.

Word Web

sägerattintemålasblevfrågadeom

Herausforderung

Write 3 things your friend said today using 'att' and the BIFF rule.

Kulturelle Hinweise

Swedish news (SVT, DN) uses the s-passiv extensively to maintain an objective and neutral tone. It avoids 'man' or 'vi' to focus purely on the events.

In Swedish meetings (fika-culture), reported speech is used to build consensus. Instead of 'You said...', Swedes often say 'Det sades att...' (It was said that...) to be less confrontational.

Official documents from Skatteverket or Försäkringskassan use passive voice to sound authoritative and impersonal.

The s-passive in Swedish evolved from the reflexive pronoun 'sik' (modern 'sig').

Conversation Starters

“

Vad sa din lärare till dig igår?

“

Berätta om en gång när du blev överraskad.

“

Vad görs för att skydda miljön i ditt land?

“

Har du hört vad som sägs om den nya filmen?

Journal Prompts

Skriv om ett möte du hade nyligen. Vad sa de andra personerna?
Beskriv hur man lagar din favoriträtt utan att använda 'jag'.
Återberätta en nyhet du läste i morse.
Vad frågade din vän dig senast ni sågs?
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Test Yourself

Choose the correct reported speech word order. Multiple Choice

Han säger att han ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: inte kommer
According to the BIFF rule, 'inte' comes before the verb in a subordinate clause.
Change the active verb to s-passive.

Boken ___ (läser) av många barn.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: läses
Remove the -r from 'läser' and add -s.
Find the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Hon sa att hon ska inte äta.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: inte ska
The adverb 'inte' must come before the finite verb 'ska'.
Put the words in the correct order for reported speech. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Han sa att han inte var trött
Subject + Verb + att + Subject + inte + Verb + Adjective.
Match the active sentence with its passive equivalent. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Bilen tvättas, 2-Boken skrevs
Present active -> Present passive; Past active -> Past passive.
Which passive form is best for a sudden accident? Multiple Choice

Jag ___ av en cykel.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: blev påkörd
Bli-passive is preferred for sudden, dynamic events happening to a person.
Report the question: 'Var bor du?'

Han frågar ___ ___ ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: var jag bor
Reported questions use the question word followed by subject-verb order.
Which verb is a deponent verb (active meaning, passive form)? Multiple Choice

Vilket verb är deponent?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: andas
'Andas' (breathe) always ends in -s but the subject is active.

Score: /8

Ubungsaufgaben

8 exercises
Choose the correct reported speech word order. Multiple Choice

Han säger att han ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: inte kommer
According to the BIFF rule, 'inte' comes before the verb in a subordinate clause.
Change the active verb to s-passive.

Boken ___ (läser) av många barn.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: läses
Remove the -r from 'läser' and add -s.
Find the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Hon sa att hon ska inte äta.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: inte ska
The adverb 'inte' must come before the finite verb 'ska'.
Put the words in the correct order for reported speech. Sentence Reorder

sa / att / han / inte / han / trött / var

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Han sa att han inte var trött
Subject + Verb + att + Subject + inte + Verb + Adjective.
Match the active sentence with its passive equivalent. Match Pairs

1. Jag tvättar bilen. 2. Han skrev boken.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Bilen tvättas, 2-Boken skrevs
Present active -> Present passive; Past active -> Past passive.
Which passive form is best for a sudden accident? Multiple Choice

Jag ___ av en cykel.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: blev påkörd
Bli-passive is preferred for sudden, dynamic events happening to a person.
Report the question: 'Var bor du?'

Han frågar ___ ___ ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: var jag bor
Reported questions use the question word followed by subject-verb order.
Which verb is a deponent verb (active meaning, passive form)? Multiple Choice

Vilket verb är deponent?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: andas
'Andas' (breathe) always ends in -s but the subject is active.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

It stands for 'I Bisats kommer Inte Före det Finita verbet'. It means in subordinate clauses (like reported speech), 'inte' comes before the verb.

Use `s-passiv` for formal processes, general truths, and written instructions. Use `bli-passiv` for specific events, especially those involving people.

In spoken Swedish, 'att' is sometimes dropped, but in writing and for B1 learners, it is best to always include it for clarity.

Use 'om' (if/whether). For example: 'Kommer du?' becomes 'Han frågar om jag kommer.'

If the reporting verb is in the past (e.g., 'sa'), the reported verb usually shifts to the past as well ('är' -> 'var'). This is called backshift.

No, 'andas' is a deponent verb. It looks passive because of the -s, but it has an active meaning (to breathe).

Yes, use 'av' (by). For example: 'Boken skrevs av Astrid Lindgren.'

Because reported questions are subordinate clauses, they follow the same word order rules as 'att'-clauses (Subject + Verb).

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In Other Languages

English moderate

be + past participle / reported speech

Swedish word order in reported speech (BIFF) is different from English.

German moderate

werden + Partizip II / Konjunktiv I

Swedish uses indicative mood for reported speech, German uses Konjunktiv.

Spanish partial

ser + participio / se pasivo

Swedish s-passive is a suffix, Spanish 'se' is a separate particle.

French low

être + participe passé

French lacks a passive suffix like the Swedish -s.

Japanese moderate

〜れる / 〜られる (reru/rareru)

Japanese passive suffixes are much more complex and involve 'suffering' passives.

Chinese low

被 (bèi) construction

Swedish has tense backshifts and word order changes; Chinese does not.

Arabic none

Internal vowel change (Majhul)

Arabic uses internal inflection; Swedish uses suffixes or auxiliaries.

Previous
Reporting Verbs

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