B2 Verb Forms 6 min read Difícil

Advanced Verb Forms

Master the '-s' suffix and participles to sound professional and describe complex actions without a clear subject.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Advanced Swedish verbs use the '-s' suffix for passive voice and specific participles to describe states or ongoing actions elegantly.

  • Add '-s' to the infinitive or present form to create the passive voice (e.g., 'målas').
  • Use 'bli' + past participle for dynamic, event-focused passive actions (e.g., 'blev vald').
  • Deponent verbs end in '-s' but have an active meaning (e.g., 'andas' - to breathe).
Verb + 🇸 = Passive/Deponent | Verb + -ande/-ende = Present Particip

Overview

## The Power of the S-Suffix
In Swedish, the letter s at the end of a verb is a powerful tool. At the B2 level, you move beyond simple active sentences like Jag äter äpplet (I eat the apple) to more sophisticated structures. The passive voice allows you to focus on the object of the action.
For instance, Äpplet äts (The apple is being eaten) shifts the focus entirely. This is essential for academic writing, news reporting, and formal instructions where the 'who' is less important than the 'what'. Furthermore, Swedish uses deponensverb—verbs that look passive but act active, like andas (breathe) or hoppas (hope).
Understanding these nuances is what separates an intermediate learner from a fluent speaker. You will also encounter reciprocal verbs like ses (see each other), which are staples of daily Swedish conversation. Mastering these forms allows for a more economical and precise use of the language, reducing the need for clunky pronouns and helping you sound more like a native speaker in professional environments.
## How to Construct Advanced Forms
Forming the s-passive is generally straightforward: you take the active form and add an -s. However, there are rules for different tenses.
  1. 1Infinitive: att måla -> att målas (to be painted).
  2. 2Present: Remove the -r from the present tense and add -s. målar -> målas. If the verb ends in a consonant in the present (like läser), you just add -s -> läses.
  3. 3Past (Preterite): Add -s to the past form. målade -> målades.
  4. 4Supine: Add -s to the supine form. har målat -> har målats.
For Participles:
  • Present Participle: Add -ande to the stem (e.g., sjungande). If the stem ends in a long vowel, use -ende (e.g., gående).
  • Past Participle: These function like adjectives and must agree with the noun in gender and number. For example, en stängd dörr (a closed door), ett stängt fönster (a closed window), stängda dörrar (closed doors).
## When to Use Which Passive
One of the biggest challenges at B2 is choosing between the s-passive and the bli-passive.
Use the s-passive (målas) when:
  • You are writing formally (reports, news).
  • You are giving instructions (recipes, manuals).
  • The action is a habit or a general rule.
  • You want to describe a state or a process without a specific agent.
Use the bli-passive (bli målad) when:
  • You are speaking informally.
  • You want to emphasize a sudden change or a specific event.
  • The action was accidental or unexpected (e.g., Han blev påkörd).
In professional contexts, like a job interview or a business meeting, the s-passive shows a high level of linguistic control. In a text message to a friend, the bli-passive or active voice is much more natural.
## Avoid These Common Pitfalls
The most frequent error is treating deponent verbs as passives. You cannot say Jag andas av luften to mean 'I am breathed by the air'; andas is active! Another mistake is forgetting to remove the -r in the present tense before adding -s. It is det görs, not det görs.
Learners also struggle with participle agreement. Remember that the past participle is an adjective. If you are talking about ett barn (a child), the verb skrämma (to scare) becomes ett skrämt barn. If it's många barn, it's skrämda barn.
Finally, avoid overusing the passive. While it's great for formal writing, using it too much in conversation makes you sound like a robot or a legal document.
## S-Passive vs. Bli-Passive vs. Vara-Passive
Swedish has three ways to express 'passive' ideas.
  1. 1S-passive (Dörren stängs): Focuses on the action itself as a process. 'The door is being closed (by someone/something).'
  2. 2Bli-passive (Dörren blir stängd): Focuses on the transition or the event. 'The door gets closed.'
  3. 3Vara-passive (Dörren är stängd): This isn't actually a passive voice but a state described by an adjective. 'The door is (in the state of being) closed.'
Choosing the wrong one changes the meaning. Huset målades means someone was painting it. Huset är målat means the job is already done and the house is currently red.
## CEFR-Level Explanations
A1: In Swedish, we usually say who does what. 'Jag dricker kaffe' (I drink coffee). Sometimes we see an 's' at the end of a verb, like 'Vi ses' (We see each other). Just remember that 's' can mean 'each other'.
A2: You might notice verbs ending in -s in recipes, like 'Serveras varm' (Served warm). This is the passive voice. It means we don't need to say 'You serve it'. We also use 'bli' to say something happened to someone, like 'Han blev glad' (He became happy).
B1: At this level, you start using the s-passive to sound more professional. Instead of 'Man bygger huset', you say 'Huset byggs'. You also learn deponent verbs like 'hoppas' (hope) and 'andas' (breathe), which always have an -s but are active.
You also start using participles like 'spännande' (exciting) as adjectives.
B2: B2 requires mastering the distinction between the s-passive (process-oriented) and the bli-passive (event-oriented). You should use the s-passive in formal writing and reports. You must also ensure that past participles agree with the noun's gender and number (en/ett/plural).
Understanding the nuances of deponent verbs and reciprocal meanings is crucial for natural-sounding Swedish.
C1: Advanced learners use the passive voice to control the flow of information (thematic progression). You will use the s-passive to maintain a formal register in academic essays. You also explore more obscure deponent verbs and the use of the present participle as an adverbial to describe simultaneous actions (e.g., 'Hon kom sjungande in i rummet').
C2: Near-native mastery involves using the s-passive and participles with stylistic precision. This includes using the 'pure' s-passive for timeless truths or legal definitions. You also navigate the subtle differences between the s-passive and the reflexive 'sig' in complex sentences, and you can use archaic or literary verb forms (like the subjunctive 'vore') where appropriate for tone.

Meanings

Advanced verb forms in Swedish encompass the passive voice (s-passive and bli-passive), deponent verbs, and participles used as adjectives or adverbs.

1

S-Passive (Process/Formal)

Used to describe a process where the agent is unknown or unimportant, common in formal writing and instructions.

“Dörren stängs automatiskt.”

“Beslutet fattas av styrelsen.”

2

Bli-Passive (Event-focused)

Emphasizes a specific event or change of state, often used in spoken language.

“Han blev biten av en hund.”

“Bilen blev stulen i natt.”

3

Deponent Verbs

Verbs that always end in -s but function as active verbs with no passive meaning.

“Vi hoppas på solsken.”

“De brottas på mattan.”

4

Reciprocal S-verbs

Verbs where the -s indicates that two or more people are doing something to each other.

“Vi ses imorgon!”

“De kramades länge.”

5

Present Participle

Used as an adjective or adverb to describe an ongoing state or simultaneous action.

“En leende kvinna kom in.”

“Han kom springande.”

S-Passive Conjugation Patterns

Tense Active Form S-Passive Form English Example
Infinitive att kalla att kallas to be called
Present kallar kallas is called
Past kallade kallades was called
Supine har kallat har kallats has been called
Present (Group 2) läser läses is read
Past (Group 2) läste lästes was read
Present (Group 4) skriver skrivs is written
Past (Group 4) skrev skrevs was written

Common Deponent Verbs (Active Meaning)

Infinitive Present English
andas andas breathe
hoppas hoppas hope
minnas minns remember
trivas trivs thrive/feel at home
svettas svettas sweat
lyckas lyckas succeed

Reference Table

Reference table for Advanced Verb Forms
Form Structure Example
S-Passive Verb stem + (e)s Huset säljs.
Bli-Passive bli + past participle Han blev vald.
Vara-Passive vara + past participle Boken är skriven.
Deponent Verb stem + s (Active) Jag minns dig.
Reciprocal Verb stem + s (Each other) Vi möts kl 5.
Present Participle Verb stem + ande/ende En sjungande fågel.
Past Participle Verb stem + ad/at/en En målad vägg.

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
Dörren stängs.

Dörren stängs. (Closing a shop)

Neutral
Dörren blir stängd.

Dörren blir stängd. (Closing a shop)

Informal
De stänger dörren.

De stänger dörren. (Closing a shop)

Jerga
Nu ryker dörren.

Nu ryker dörren. (Closing a shop)

The Three Faces of the S-Suffix

Verb + S

Passive

  • målas is being painted

Deponent

  • andas breathe

Reciprocal

  • kramas hug each other

Passive Comparison

S-Passive
Huset byggs The house is being built (process)
Bli-Passive
Han blev arg He became angry (event)

Choosing the Passive

1

Is it a formal report?

YES
Use S-Passive
NO
Is it a sudden event?
2

Is it a sudden event?

YES
Use Bli-Passive
NO
Use Active Voice

Common Deponent Verbs

😊

Feelings

  • • hoppas
  • • trivas
  • • skämmas
🏃

Physical

  • • andas
  • • svettas
  • • brottas
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Examples by Level

1

Vi ses imorgon.

We'll see each other tomorrow.

2

Hörs sen!

Talk to you later!

3

Vad hoppas du på?

What are you hoping for?

4

Bilen är röd.

The car is red.

1

Maten serveras nu.

The food is being served now.

2

Han blev biten av en hund.

He was bitten by a dog.

3

Dörren stängs klockan nio.

The door closes at nine.

4

Jag blev överraskad.

I was surprised.

1

Huset byggdes 1920.

The house was built in 1920.

2

Vi måste andas djupt.

We must breathe deeply.

3

Det var en spännande bok.

It was an exciting book.

4

De brottas i trädgården.

They are wrestling in the garden.

1

Beslutet fattades enhälligt av styrelsen.

The decision was made unanimously by the board.

2

Många intressanta frågor diskuterades.

Many interesting questions were discussed.

3

Han kom springande mot mig.

He came running towards me.

4

Fönstren lämnades öppna under natten.

The windows were left open during the night.

1

Det torde förutsättas att alla är informerade.

It ought to be assumed that everyone is informed.

2

Genomförandet av planen försvårades av regnet.

The implementation of the plan was made more difficult by the rain.

3

Ett envist rykte spreds i staden.

A persistent rumor was spread in the city.

4

De nyligen funna dokumenten analyseras nu.

The recently found documents are now being analyzed.

1

Vore det inte för hans hjälp, hade vi misslyckats.

Were it not for his help, we would have failed.

2

Frågan om ansvarstagande lamslogs av byråkrati.

The question of accountability was paralyzed by bureaucracy.

3

Detta förfarande tillämpas i undantagsfall.

This procedure is applied in exceptional cases.

4

En tilltagande oro märktes i befolkningen.

An increasing anxiety was noticed among the population.

Easily Confused

Advanced Verb Forms vs S-Passive vs. Deponent

Both end in -s, but one is passive and the other is active. Learners often try to remove the -s from deponents.

Advanced Verb Forms vs Bli-Passive vs. Vara + Participle

Learners confuse the action of 'becoming' with the state of 'being'.

Advanced Verb Forms vs Present Participle vs. Gerund

English speakers use -ing for everything, but Swedish uses -ande only for adjectives/adverbs.

Errores comunes

✗

Vi se imorgon.

✓

Vi ses imorgon.

Missing the reciprocal -s.
✗

Jag hoppar att det regnar.

✓

Jag hoppas att det regnar.

Confusing 'hoppa' (jump) with 'hoppas' (hope).
✗

Bilen är målas.

✓

Bilen målas.

Using 'är' with the s-passive is redundant.
✗

Jag minna dig.

✓

Jag minns dig.

Deponent verbs must have the -s.
✗

Han blev bitit.

✓

Han blev biten.

Incorrect past participle agreement (en-word).
✗

Maten serverar nu.

✓

Maten serveras nu.

Active voice used where passive is needed.
✗

Jag blev gladde.

✓

Jag blev glad.

Using a past tense verb instead of a participle/adjective after 'bli'.
✗

Det görs av jag.

✓

Det görs av mig.

Using subject pronoun after 'av' in passive.
✗

En springande barn.

✓

Ett springande barn.

Present participles don't change for gender, but the article must match the noun.
✗

Huset har målat.

✓

Huset har målats.

Missing the -s in the perfect passive.
✗

Frågan diskuterar i boken.

✓

Frågan diskuteras i boken.

Using active voice for an inanimate subject in a formal context.
✗

Han kom sprungit.

✓

Han kom springande.

Using supine instead of present participle for simultaneous action.

Sentence Patterns

Det ___ (verb i passiv) att ___.

Jag blev ___ (past participle) av ___.

Huset ___ (past s-passive) av ___.

Vi ___ (reciprocal verb) kl ___.

Real World Usage

Cooking Recipes constant

Löken bryns i smör.

Public Transport Announcements very common

Dörrarna stängs.

Job Interviews common

Jag trivs med utmaningar.

News Headlines very common

Banken rånades i morse.

Texting Friends constant

Vi ses sen!

Furniture Assembly Manuals common

Skruven dras åt hårt.

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🎯

The 'Man' Alternative

If the s-passive feels too heavy, use 'man' (one/they). 'Man gör så' is often more natural in speech than 'Det görs så'.
⚠️

No 'r' before 's'

In the present tense, never write 'görs'. It's always 'görs' (remove the -r from 'gör').
💡

Deponent List

Memorize the top 5 deponents: andas, hoppas, minnas, trivas, lyckas. They cover 80% of daily usage.
💬

Ending a Call

Always end a phone call with 'Vi hörs!' (We'll hear each other). It's the standard Swedish sign-off.

Smart Tips

Use the s-passive to sound more objective and professional.

Vi skickade brevet igår. → Brevet skickades igår.

Check if it's a deponent verb first. If it is, treat it like a normal active verb.

Jag blir hoppas. → Jag hoppas.

Use 'vara' + past participle, not the s-passive.

Dörren stängs i två timmar. → Dörren var stängd i två timmar.

Use reciprocal verbs like 'ses' or 'hörs' to sound like a local.

Vi ska se varandra senare. → Vi ses senare!

Pronunciación

/stɛŋs/

The S-suffix

The final -s is always voiceless, like the 's' in 'sit'. It does not change the stress of the verb.

/ˈɧʉŋːandɛ/

Present Participle Stress

The stress remains on the root syllable. The suffix -ande/-ende is pronounced with a clear 'e' at the end.

Passive Statement

Huset målas. ↘

A neutral factual statement with falling intonation at the end.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'S' for 'Silent Subject' in passives, but 'S' for 'Self-Action' in deponents like andas.

Visual Association

Imagine a house being painted by a ghost (S-passive: the painter is invisible). Then imagine a person breathing (andas: the -s is just part of the person's lungs).

Rhyme

När något görs och ingen syns till, lägg på ett S om du vill.

Story

A man named Anders (sounds like andas) was wrestling (brottas) with his memory (minnas) while hoping (hoppas) to succeed (lyckas). All these verbs end in S!

Word Web

andashoppasminnastrivaslyckasskämmasvistas

Desafío

Write three sentences about your morning using only passive or deponent verbs (e.g., 'Jag väcktes...', 'Jag hoppas...', 'Kaffet dricks...').

Notas culturales

Swedes use the s-passive extensively in government documents (Myndighetssvenska) to sound objective and neutral.

Reciprocal verbs like 'ses' and 'hörs' are essential for the 'lagom' way of ending conversations—not too formal, not too abrupt.

In some northern dialects, the bli-passive is used more frequently than in Stockholm, where the s-passive is preferred in writing.

The Swedish -s passive evolved from the Old Norse reflexive pronoun 'sik' (self).

Conversation Starters

“

Vad hoppas du ska hända i framtiden?

“

Berätta om en gång när du blev riktigt överraskad.

“

Hur styrs ditt hemland?

“

Vilka minnen från din barndom värdesätts mest?

Journal Prompts

Beskriv hur man lagar din favoriträtt utan att använda ordet 'jag'.
Skriv en formell rapport om ett möte som ägde rum igår.
Reflektera över hur språket förändras i sociala medier.
Beskriv en spännande händelse med fokus på känslor och tillstånd.
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Test Yourself

Choose the correct passive form for: 'The book is being read.' Opción múltiple

Boken ___ just nu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: läses
The present passive of 'läser' is 'läses'.
Fill in the deponent verb for 'to hope'.

Jag ___ att du mår bra.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: hoppas
'Hoppas' is a deponent verb and always ends in -s.
Correct the mistake in this sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Huset blev målas rött.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Huset blev målat rött
After 'blev', you must use the past participle 'målat', not the s-passive 'målas'.
Change from active to passive: 'De byggde bron 1950.' Sentence Transformation

Bron ___ 1950.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: byggdes
The past passive of 'byggde' is 'byggdes'.
Match the verb to its meaning. Match Pairs

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Breathe, 2-See each other, 3-Be painted
Andas is deponent, Ses is reciprocal, Målas is passive.
Is this statement true? True False Rule

Deponent verbs like 'andas' can be used without the -s.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Deponent verbs are inherently passive in form and require the -s.
Sort these into Passive or Deponent. Grammar Sorting

andas, stängs, hoppas, säljs

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Deponent: andas, hoppas | Passive: stängs, säljs
Andas/hoppas are active in meaning; stängs/säljs are actions done to an object.
What is the supine passive of 'skriva'? Conjugation Drill

Boken har ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: skrivits
Supine 'skrivit' + 's' = 'skrivits'.

Score: /8

Ejercicios de practica

8 exercises
Choose the correct passive form for: 'The book is being read.' Opción múltiple

Boken ___ just nu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: läses
The present passive of 'läser' is 'läses'.
Fill in the deponent verb for 'to hope'.

Jag ___ att du mår bra.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: hoppas
'Hoppas' is a deponent verb and always ends in -s.
Correct the mistake in this sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Huset blev målas rött.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Huset blev målat rött
After 'blev', you must use the past participle 'målat', not the s-passive 'målas'.
Change from active to passive: 'De byggde bron 1950.' Sentence Transformation

Bron ___ 1950.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: byggdes
The past passive of 'byggde' is 'byggdes'.
Match the verb to its meaning. Match Pairs

1. Andas, 2. Ses, 3. Målas

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Breathe, 2-See each other, 3-Be painted
Andas is deponent, Ses is reciprocal, Målas is passive.
Is this statement true? True False Rule

Deponent verbs like 'andas' can be used without the -s.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Deponent verbs are inherently passive in form and require the -s.
Sort these into Passive or Deponent. Grammar Sorting

andas, stängs, hoppas, säljs

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Deponent: andas, hoppas | Passive: stängs, säljs
Andas/hoppas are active in meaning; stängs/säljs are actions done to an object.
What is the supine passive of 'skriva'? Conjugation Drill

Boken har ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: skrivits
Supine 'skrivit' + 's' = 'skrivits'.

Score: /8

Preguntas frecuentes (8)

`målas` focuses on the ongoing process or a general rule, while `blir målad` focuses on a specific event or change of state.

Yes, but it often sounds very formal or like the person is an object. `Han flyttas` (He is being moved) sounds like he's a piece of furniture. Use active voice for people when possible.

No! Deponent verbs like `andas` (breathe) and `hoppas` (hope) are active. Reciprocal verbs like `ses` (see each other) are also active.

It's a stylistic choice to make the instructions objective. `Löken hackas` (The onion is chopped) is shorter and more direct than `Du ska hacka löken`.

The present passive is `görs`. Note that the 'r' is kept here because 'gör' is a short verb, but usually, you remove the 'r'.

No, `vore` is the subjunctive form of `vara` (to be). It's advanced, but not a passive form.

Use it as an adjective (`en spännande film`) or to describe how someone does something (`Han kom springande`).

No. `Hoppas` is already active. You just say `Jag hoppas`.

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In Other Languages

English moderate

be + past participle

Swedish has a specific suffix (-s) while English always uses 'be'.

German high

werden + Partizip II

Swedish s-passive has no direct equivalent in German grammar.

Spanish moderate

se + verb

Spanish uses a separate particle 'se', while Swedish uses a suffix '-s'.

French low

être + participe passé

French participles agree in gender and number, similar to Swedish past participles.

Japanese moderate

reru / rareru

Japanese passives often imply the subject is 'adversely affected', which Swedish does not.

Arabic low

Internal vowel change (Majhul)

Arabic passive is morphological within the root; Swedish is suffixal.

Chinese none

被 (bèi) + Verb

Chinese is isolating; Swedish is inflective with suffixes.

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