Passive Construction
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the s-passive to report rumors or facts without naming a source, like 'it is said' or 'he is rumored to'.
- Add -s to the verb to make it passive: 'säga' becomes 'sägs' (it is said).
- Use 'Det' as a dummy subject: 'Det ryktas att...' (It is rumored that...).
- Use a person as the subject: 'Han påstås vara...' (He is claimed to be...).
Meanings
A construction used to report information, rumors, or general beliefs where the original speaker is unknown or irrelevant. It shifts focus to the information itself.
Impersonal Reporting
Using 'Det' to introduce a general statement or rumor.
“Det berättas att skogen är förtrollad.”
“Det antas att priserna kommer att stiga.”
Personal Reporting (Subject-Raising)
Making the person the rumor is about the subject of the sentence.
“Hon sägs vara miljonär.”
“De tros ha lämnat landet.”
Modal Hearsay
Using 'lär' or 'ska' to indicate that something is reported by others.
“Han lär vara duktig på schack.”
“De ska ha vunnit högsta vinsten.”
Common Reporting Verbs in S-Passive
| Infinitive | Present Passive | Past Passive | Supine Passive | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| säga | sägs | sades | sagts | is said |
| tro | tros | troddes | trotts | is believed |
| anse | anses | ansågs | ansetts | is considered |
| påstå | påstås | påstods | påståtts | is claimed |
| rykta | ryktas | ryktades | ryktats | is rumored |
| anta | antas | antogs | antagits | is assumed |
| befara | befaras | befarades | befarats | is feared |
| uppge | uppges | uppgavs | uppgetts | is stated/reported |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Impersonal Affirmative | Det + Verb-s + att + Clause | Det sägs att han kommer. |
| Personal Affirmative | Subject + Verb-s + Infinitive | Han sägs komma. |
| Negative | Det + Verb-s + inte + att | Det sägs inte att han kommer. |
| Question | Verb-s + det + att...? | Sägs det att han kommer? |
| Modal Hearsay | Subject + lär + Infinitive | Han lär vara rik. |
| Past Rumor | Subject + Verb-s + ha + Supine | Han sägs ha varit rik. |
| Future Rumor | Det + Verb-s + att + ska... | Det sägs att det ska regna. |
Formalitätsspektrum
Han uppges vara förmögen. (Describing someone's wealth)
Det sägs att han är rik. (Describing someone's wealth)
Man säger att han har mycket pengar. (Describing someone's wealth)
Ryktet går att han är tät. (Describing someone's wealth)
The Hearsay Web
Impersonal
- Det sägs att... It is said that...
Personal
- Han tros vara... He is believed to be...
Modals
- Lär / Ska Supposedly / Said to
Active vs. Passive Reporting
Examples by Level
De säger att han är glad.
They say that he is happy.
Jag hörde att du kommer.
I heard that you are coming.
Hon säger att det är bra.
She says that it is good.
Vi säger nej.
We say no.
Man säger att det ska regna.
People say it's going to rain.
Man tror att han är lärare.
People think he is a teacher.
Här säger man 'hej'.
Here, people say 'hello'.
Man berättar historier här.
People tell stories here.
Det sägs att han har slutat.
It is said that he has quit.
Han ska vara väldigt rik.
He is said to be very rich.
Det ryktas om en fest.
There are rumors about a party.
Det antas att vi är klara.
It is assumed that we are done.
Han påstås ha stulit pengarna.
He is claimed to have stolen the money.
Boken anses vara en klassiker.
The book is considered to be a classic.
Det befaras att många dog.
It is feared that many died.
De tros ha lämnat staden.
They are believed to have left the city.
Det förljudas att regeringen ska avgå.
It is rumored that the government will resign.
Han lär ha varit i Paris då.
He supposedly was in Paris then.
Åtgärderna föreslås bli permanenta.
The measures are proposed to become permanent.
Det torde kunna antas att...
It should be possible to assume that...
Vederbörande uppges ha avvikit.
The person in question is stated to have absconded.
Det tvisas om huruvida detta stämmer.
It is disputed whether this is correct.
Han föregivs vara expert på området.
He is alleged to be an expert in the field.
Det hemställs att ansökan beviljas.
It is requested that the application be granted.
Easily Confused
Some verbs end in -s but are active, like 'hoppas' (hope) or 'andas' (breathe). Learners might think they are passive reporting verbs.
The word 'lär' can mean 'supposedly' or 'teaches/learns'.
'Ska' usually means 'will' or 'shall', but in reporting it means 'is said to'.
Häufige Fehler
Det säger att...
Man säger att...
Jag är sagts...
Jag har hört...
De sägs...
De säger...
Det sägs han är...
Det sägs att han är...
Det ryktar att...
Det ryktas att...
Han ska lära vara...
Han lär vara...
Det tros han...
Det tros att han...
Man sägs att...
Det sägs att...
Han sägs att vara...
Han sägs vara...
Det anses vara sant.
Det anses att det är sant. / Det anses vara sant.
De påstås ha vunnit.
De påstås ha vunnit.
Det befarar att...
Det befaras att...
Han lärde vara...
Han lär vara...
Det förljuder att...
Det förljudas att...
Han uppges att ha...
Han uppges ha...
Det påstås vara regn.
Det påstås att det ska regna.
Sentence Patterns
Det ___ att ___.
___ påstås ha ___.
___ anses vara ___.
Det ___ om att ___.
Real World Usage
Gärningsmannen uppges ha flytt i en röd bil.
Det ryktas att chefen ska sluta.
Resultaten anses vara signifikanta.
Det sägs att festen blir grym!
Jag anses vara en lagspelare.
Staden sägs ha grundats på 1200-talet.
The 'Att' Rule
Don't over-passive!
Use 'Lär' for probability
Softening Blows
Smart Tips
Replace 'Man säger' with 'Det uppges' or 'Det rapporteras'.
Check if there's a 'sig'. No 'sig' + infinitive = 'supposedly'.
Delete the 'att'! It's the most common B2 error.
Use 'påstås' instead of 'sägs'.
Aussprache
The -s suffix
The 's' at the end of verbs like 'sägs' or 'tros' is a sharp, voiceless 's' sound. It does not change the stress of the verb.
Lär vs Lära
The modal 'lär' is short and usually unstressed, whereas 'lära' (to learn) has two syllables and a clear tone accent.
Reporting Intonation
Det sägs ↘ att han kommer ↗
A slight dip on the reporting verb and a rise at the end of the clause to indicate shared information.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember the 'S' for 'Secret' or 'Social'—it's what 'S'omeone said, but we don't know who!
Visual Association
Imagine a newspaper with no author name. The headlines all end in -s (Sägs, Ryktas, Påstås). The information is floating in the air without a person holding it.
Rhyme
When the source is a mess, just add an -s!
Story
A spy is listening to a conversation. He doesn't know who is talking, so he writes in his notebook: 'Det sägs att koden är 1234.' Later, he sees a man and writes: 'Han påstås vara spionen.'
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look at a Swedish news site (like SVT or DN) and find three sentences ending in -s that aren't about someone actually doing something (like 'andas'), but about reporting information.
Kulturelle Hinweise
SVT and SR use the s-passive constantly to maintain 'neutralitet' (neutrality). It is a key part of the 'objective' Swedish journalistic style.
When gossiping, Swedes often use 'Det sägs' to avoid being the one who 'knows too much' or is 'bragging' about having inside info. It's a way to stay humble while sharing news.
In Swedish courts, 'påstås' is the standard way to refer to an alleged crime before a verdict is reached.
The -s suffix in Swedish passives evolved from the Old Norse reflexive pronoun 'sik' (self).
Conversation Starters
Vad sägs om den nya filmen på bio?
Vem påstås vara den bästa fotbollsspelaren genom tiderna?
Det ryktas att det ska bli en kall vinter. Vad tror du?
Vilken stad anses vara den vackraste i Sverige?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Det ___ att kungen kommer på besök imorgon.
Choose the correct personal construction.
Find and fix the mistake:
Det ryktar att de ska gifta sig.
[ha] [tros] [han] [vunnit]
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
1. Det sägs att... 2. Han sägs vara...
De ___ ha varit där.
He is said to be the best.
Answer starts with: Han...
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesDet ___ att kungen kommer på besök imorgon.
Choose the correct personal construction.
Find and fix the mistake:
Det ryktar att de ska gifta sig.
[ha] [tros] [han] [vunnit]
1. Påstås, 2. Befaras, 3. Antas
1. Det sägs att... 2. Han sägs vara...
De ___ ha varit där.
He is said to be the best.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, 'bli-passiv' (e.g., 'han blev sagd') is almost never used for reporting rumors. Use the 's-passiv' instead.
'Sägs' is a general 'it is said', while 'ska' (in this context) often implies a rumor that the speaker is slightly more skeptical of or is just passing on.
It is neutral to formal. In very casual speech, Swedes prefer 'Man säger att...' or 'Jag hörde att...'.
This is called subject-raising. The 'att' disappears because the infinitive 'vara' directly follows the passive verb, similar to English 'He is said to be'.
Only if you have another subject, like 'Festen ryktas bli stor'. Otherwise, you need the dummy subject 'det'.
In this context, 'lär' means 'supposedly' or 'is likely to'. It's a modal particle for hearsay.
It can be. It often implies that someone is making a claim that hasn't been proven yet, sometimes suggesting doubt.
Don't use the passive. Say 'Jag fick höra att...' or 'Någon sa till mig att...'.
In Other Languages
It is said that / He is said to
Swedish uses a single word (sägs) instead of three (is said to).
Man sagt / Er soll ... sein
German relies more on modals, Swedish more on verb suffixes.
On dit que / Il se dit que
Swedish uses a passive suffix rather than a reflexive pronoun.
...to iwarete iru / ...rashii
Japanese uses sentence-final particles or auxiliary verbs for hearsay.
yuqālu 'anna (يُقال أن)
Arabic changes the internal vowel structure, Swedish adds a suffix.
jùshuō (据说)
Chinese uses a fixed adverbial phrase rather than a grammatical voice.
