1 Advanced Passive 2 Passive Nuances 3 Passive Voice Usage

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B2 Passive & Reported Speech 5 min read 어려움

Advanced Passive

Shift focus from 'who said it' to 'what is being said' using formal -s endings.

학습 완료로 표시

Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use the `-s` verb ending or 'det' to report rumors, facts, or claims without naming a specific source.

Add `-s` to the verb to show it's a general claim: `Det sägs att...` (It is said that...).
Use personal passive for focus: `Han sägs vara rik` (He is said to be rich).
Use `lär` for 'is said to': `Hon lär komma imorgon` (She is said to be coming tomorrow).

Det + Verb-s + att... OR Subject + Verb-s + Infinitive 📢

Overview

## The Power of the Reported Passive

In Swedish, when you reach the B2 level, you need to move beyond simple sentences like Folk säger att... (People say that...). To sound more professional, academic, or journalistic, we use the passiv form. This allows us to report information while remaining objective.

Instead of saying who is doing the talking, we focus on the information itself. This is achieved primarily through the s-passiv, where we add an -s to the end of verbs like säga (to say), tro (to believe), or anse (to consider). This construction is the backbone of Swedish news reporting and formal documentation.

It allows you to distance yourself from the claim, which is essential in scientific writing or when reporting unverified rumors. Mastering this will make your Swedish sound significantly more sophisticated and 'native-like' in formal contexts.

## How to Build Reported Sentences

There are two main ways to form these sentences.

1The Impersonal Construction: Start with Det + Verb-s + att-clause.

Example: Det påstås att han är sjuk. (It is claimed that he is sick.)

Common verbs used here: sägs, tros, anses, ryktas, beräknas, befaras.

1The Personal Construction: Start with the Subject + Verb-s + Infinitive.

Example: Han påstås vara sjuk. (He is claimed to be sick.)

Notice how the att disappears and the second verb becomes an infinitive (vara).

For the past tense, we use the supine form after the passive verb: Han sägs ha varit där. (He is said to have been there.)

Negative forms: Simply place inte after the passive verb: Det anses inte vara lämpligt. (It is not considered to be appropriate.)

Questions: Invert the subject and verb: Anses han vara kompetent? (Is he considered to be competent?)

## Where You'll Hear and Use It

You will encounter this grammar everywhere in Swedish public life. In journalism, reporters use Det uppges att... (It is reported that...) to avoid taking personal responsibility for a statement. In academic writing, you'll see Det antas att... (It is assumed that...) when discussing theories.

In legal contexts, Den misstänkte sägs ha... (The suspect is said to have...) is standard.

But it's not just for formal writing! In daily conversation, Swedes use lär constantly. If someone asks if it will rain, you might say Det lär ska bli sol (It's supposed to be sunny).

It's a way of saying 'I heard this, but I'm not 100% sure.' It's also used in job interviews to describe how you are perceived by others: Jag anses vara en lagspelare (I am considered to be a team player).

## Avoiding the 'Bli' Trap

The biggest mistake learners make is using the bli-passiv for reporting. In English, we say 'It is said', so learners often say Det blir sagt. This is incorrect in Swedish for reporting. You must use the s-form: Det sägs.

Another common error is forgetting the -s on the reporting verb but keeping the rest of the structure. Han tror vara rik is nonsensical; it must be Han tros vara rik.

Finally, watch out for the word order with inte. In an att-clause, inte comes before the verb, but in a main clause, it comes after.

Correct: Det sägs att han inte kommer.

Correct: Han sägs inte komma.

## S-Passive vs. 'Man' (One/People)

Learners often ask: 'Why can't I just use man?' While Man säger att... is perfectly correct and very common in spoken Swedish, it feels slightly more informal. The passive Det sägs... is more 'weighty'.

Compare:

1Man tror att priserna stiger. (People think prices are rising.) - Sounds like a general opinion.
2Priserna tros stiga. (Prices are expected to rise.) - Sounds like an official economic forecast.

The passive version removes the human element entirely, making the statement feel like an objective fact or a widely accepted truth rather than just 'some people's' opinion.

## CEFR-Level Explanations

A1: At this level, you don't need to use the passive. Instead, use 'Man' (people/one). For example, 'Man säger att det är bra' (People say it is good). Focus on learning basic verbs like 'säger' and 'tror'.

A2: You might see the word 'sägs' in simple signs or news. It means 'is said'. You can start using 'Man' more often to talk about general things. Don't worry about the grammar rules yet, just recognize that '-s' at the end of a verb can mean 'is done'.

B1: Now you should start using the s-passive for simple reporting. Use 'Det sägs att...' instead of always using 'Man säger'. You are learning that Swedish has two ways to make the passive, and the '-s' way is very common for verbs of thinking and saying.

B2: This is where you master the distinction between impersonal (Det sägs att...) and personal (Han sägs vara...) constructions. You should understand that verbs like 'anse', 'påstå', and 'beräkna' almost always take the s-passive in formal writing. You should also be comfortable using 'lär' for hearsay.

C1: At this level, you use the reported passive to nuance your writing. You use verbs like 'torde' (is likely to) and 'lär' with precision. You can handle complex nested structures like 'Det befarades ha kunnat undvikas' (It was feared to have been able to be avoided).

C2: You have near-native mastery. You recognize archaic or highly formal uses of the passive in legal and historical texts. You can manipulate the register of a text by switching between active 'man' and various passive constructions to control the level of objectivity and distance.

Meanings

A formal way to express what people generally believe, say, or claim without using the pronoun 'man' (one/people). It creates an objective, journalistic, or academic tone.

Impersonal Reporting

Using 'det' as a formal subject to introduce a general statement.

“Det ryktas att de ska gifta sig.”

“Det förmodas att krisen är över.”

Personal Reporting

Making the person being talked about the subject of the sentence.

“Han påstås ha stulit pengarna.”

“De tros befinna sig i utlandet.”

Modal Reporting with 'lär'

Using the auxiliary verb 'lär' to indicate hearsay or high probability.

“Det lär bli regn imorgon.”

“Han lär ha vunnit på lotto.”

Common Reporting Verbs (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
ryktas	ryktas	ryktades	ryktats	is rumored
beräkna	beräknas	beräknades	beräknats	is calculated/expected
befara	befaras	befarades	befarats	is feared

Reference Table

Reference table for Advanced Passive
Form	Structure	Example
Impersonal Present	Det + Verb-s + att...	Det sägs att han kommer.
Personal Present	Subject + Verb-s + Infinitive	Han sägs komma.
Impersonal Past	Det + Verb-s (past) + att...	Det sades att han kom.
Personal Past	Subject + Verb-s + ha + Supine	Han sägs ha kommit.
Modal Hearsay	Subject + lär + Infinitive	Han lär vara här.
Negative Impersonal	Det + Verb-s + inte + att...	Det sägs inte att han kommer.
Negative Personal	Subject + Verb-s + inte + Infinitive	Han sägs inte komma.
Question	Verb-s + Subject + Infinitive?	Anses han vara bäst?

격식 수준 스펙트럼

격식체

Han anses vara ett geni.

Han anses vara ett geni. (Describing someone's intelligence)

중립

Det sägs att han är ett geni.

Det sägs att han är ett geni. (Describing someone's intelligence)

비격식체

Man säger att han är ett geni.

Man säger att han är ett geni. (Describing someone's intelligence)

속어

Alla snackar om att han är värsta geniet.

Alla snackar om att han är värsta geniet. (Describing someone's intelligence)

Reporting Information in Swedish

Reporting

Formal (Passive)

Det sägs att... It is said that...
Han anses vara... He is considered to be...

Informal (Active)

Man säger att... People say that...
Folk tror att... People believe that...

Impersonal vs Personal Passive

Impersonal (Det)

Det tros att hon vann. It is believed that she won.

Personal (Subject)

Hon tros ha vunnit. She is believed to have won.

Choosing your Passive

Do you want to focus on the person?

YES

Use Personal Passive (Han sägs...)

Use Impersonal Passive (Det sägs...)

Is it a rumor?

YES

Use 'lär' or 'ryktas'

Use 'anses' or 'uppges'

Common Reporting Verbs

🧠

Belief

• tros
• anses
• förutsätts

💬

Speech

• sägs
• påstås
• uppges

😟

Fear/Hope

• befaras
• förväntas
• hoppas

Examples by Level

Man säger att han är snäll.

People say that he is kind.

De säger att det regnar.

They say that it is raining.

Jag tror att hon kommer.

I think that she is coming.

Här pratar man svenska.

Here one speaks Swedish.

Det sägs att han är rik.

It is said that he is rich.

Huset säljs nu.

The house is being sold now.

Maten serveras klockan tolv.

The food is served at twelve.

Boken läses av många.

The book is read by many.

Det tros att priset går upp.

It is believed that the price is going up.

Han anses vara en bra ledare.

He is considered to be a good leader.

Det ryktas om en fest.

There are rumors about a party.

Mötet beräknas ta en timme.

The meeting is expected to take an hour.

Han påstås ha förfalskat dokumentet.

He is alleged to have forged the document.

Det befarades att ingen skulle komma.

It was feared that no one would come.

Resultaten lär presenteras imorgon.

The results are said to be presented tomorrow.

Skatten förväntas sänkas nästa år.

The tax is expected to be lowered next year.

Åtgärderna torde ha önskad effekt.

The measures ought to have the desired effect.

Det förutsätts att alla har läst texten.

It is presupposed that everyone has read the text.

Han lär ha befunnit sig på platsen.

He is said to have been at the scene.

Det föreslås att budgeten revideras.

It is proposed that the budget be revised.

Det åligger styrelsen att fatta beslut.

It is incumbent upon the board to make a decision.

Händelsen tillskrivs ofta slumpen.

The event is often attributed to chance.

Det torde förhålla sig så som han säger.

It would appear to be as he says.

Vederbörande påstås ha agerat i god tro.

The person in question is claimed to have acted in good faith.

Easily Confused

Advanced Passive 대 S-Passive vs. Deponens

Some verbs end in -s but are active, like 'hoppas' (hope) or 'andas' (breathe). Learners might think they are passive.

Advanced Passive 대 S-Passive vs. Reciprocal

The -s can also mean 'each other', like 'vi ses' (we see each other).

Advanced Passive 대 S-Passive vs. Bli-Passive

Learners use 'bli' for reporting because of English 'is said'.

자주 하는 실수

✗

Jag är sagt att...

✓

Man säger att jag...

Don't translate 'I am told' literally using 'är'.

✗

Det blir sagt att...

✓

Det sägs att...

Reporting verbs use the s-passive, not the bli-passive.

✗

Han säger vara glad.

✓

Han sägs vara glad.

Missing the -s makes it sound like he is saying it himself.

✗

Folk sägs att...

✓

Folk säger att...

Don't use passive if you have a clear subject like 'folk'.

✗

Det sägs han är här.

✓

Det sägs att han är här.

The 'att' is usually required in the impersonal construction.

✗

Han sägs är rik.

✓

Han sägs vara rik.

After a personal passive, use the infinitive (vara), not the present tense (är).

✗

Det ryktas han ska sluta.

✓

Det ryktas att han ska sluta.

Missing the subjunction 'att'.

✗

Han sägs har kommit.

✓

Han sägs ha kommit.

Use the infinitive 'ha', not the present 'har'.

✗

Det anses inte vara bra.

✓

Det anses inte vara bra.

Wait, this is correct! A common mistake is putting 'inte' before 'anses'.

✗

Han lär ska vara här.

✓

Han lär vara här.

Using both 'lär' and 'ska' is often redundant, though sometimes heard in dialects.

✗

Det torde vara så att...

✓

Det torde vara så att...

This is correct. A mistake would be using 'torde' in informal speech.

✗

Han påstås ha blivit mördad.

✓

Han påstås ha blivit mördad.

Correct. A mistake is forgetting 'blivit' in a double passive.

Sentence Patterns

Det ___ att ___.

___ anses vara ___.

Hen påstås ha ___.

Det lär ___ imorgon.

Real World Usage

News Headlines constant

Statsministern uppges avgå.

Academic Papers very common

Det antas att urvalet är representativt.

Office Gossip common

Han lär ha fått sparken.

Legal Documents very common

Den tilltalade anses vara skyldig.

Weather Forecasts occasional

Det väntas bli mulet imorgon.

Social Media Rumors common

Det sägs att de har gjort slut!

🎯

The 'Lär' Shortcut

If you are unsure about the complex s-passive, use 'lär'. It's easier to conjugate and sounds very natural in spoken Swedish for reporting rumors.

⚠️

Don't Overuse It

In casual emails to friends, the s-passive can sound too stiff. Stick to 'man' or 'jag har hört' in those cases.

💬

Objectivity is Key

Using 'Det sägs' is a great way to participate in a discussion without sounding too opinionated, which fits the Swedish 'lagom' and 'consensus' culture.

💡

Check the Dictionary

Always check if a verb has an s-form. Most reporting verbs do, but some rare ones might not.

Smart Tips

Use the personal passive: 'Han sägs vara...'. It sounds much more natural than the 'Det sägs att han är...' version in many contexts.

Det sägs att han är en expert. → Han sägs vara en expert.

Use 'lär'. It's the perfect 'I'm not responsible for this info' word.

Folk säger att det ska regna. → Det lär ska bli regn.

Replace 'Jag tycker' or 'Man kan se' with 'Det anses' or 'Det kan konstateras'.

Jag tycker att resultatet är bra. → Resultatet anses vara tillfredsställande.

Remember that 'inte' usually follows the passive verb in the main clause.

Inte han sägs vara här. → Han sägs inte vara här.

발음

/sɛks/

The -s ending

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

/lɛːr/

Stress in 'lär'

The word 'lär' is usually unstressed as it functions like an auxiliary verb.

Reporting Intonation

Det sägs ↘ att han kommer.

A falling intonation on 'sägs' indicates the start of the reported information.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember the 'S' for 'Secret Source' — when you don't want to say who said it, add an -s!

Visual Association

Imagine a newspaper with a headline where the author's name is blurred out. The headline uses '-s' verbs to show the information is objective and from an anonymous source.

Rhyme

When the source is not in sight, add an -s to make it right!

Story

A journalist named Sven always writes 'Det sägs' because he never wants to reveal his informants. He uses 'lär' when he's gossiping at the coffee machine and 'anses' when he's writing his serious column.

Word Web

sägstrosansespåståsryktaslärtorde

챌린지

Look at a Swedish news site (like SVT or DN) and find three sentences using the s-passive. Try to rewrite them using 'man'.

문화 노트

Swedish journalists are very careful about using 'uppges' (is reported) and 'påstås' (is claimed) to avoid libel suits. It reflects the Swedish value of objectivity.

In Swedish universities, using 'Det anses' or 'Det antas' is preferred over 'Jag tror' to make research sound more universal and less biased.

Using 'lär' is a way to share gossip without being the 'owner' of the news. It protects the speaker if the news turns out to be false.

The -s ending in Swedish passive comes from the Old Norse reflexive pronoun 'sik' (himself/herself/itself).

Conversation Starters

“

Vad sägs om den nya regeringen?

“

Vem anses vara den bästa svenska författaren?

“

Det ryktas att det ska bli en kall vinter. Vad tror du?

“

Vilken stad i Sverige anses vara vackrast?

Journal Prompts

Write a short news report about a fictional event using at least five different s-passive verbs.

Describe a famous person and what they are known for using 'anses vara'.

Write about a rumor you heard recently using 'lär' and 'ryktas'.

Discuss the pros and cons of your city using 'sägs vara' and 'anses'.

Test Yourself

Choose the correct form for a formal report. 객관식

Det ___ att ekonomin kommer att förbättras.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sägs

The impersonal passive 'Det sägs' is the standard way to report general beliefs.

Complete the personal passive construction.

Han sägs ___ (vara) en skicklig kirurg.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vara

After 'sägs', we use the infinitive 'vara'.

Find the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Det ryktas han ska flytta till London.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Missing 'att'

Impersonal reporting with 'Det' requires the subjunction 'att'.

Change from active to personal passive: 'Man tror att hon har vunnit.' Sentence Transformation

Hon ___ ___ vunnit.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tros ha

The subject 'Hon' moves to the front, 'tror' becomes 'tros', and 'har' becomes the infinitive 'ha'.

Match the Swedish reporting verb with its English meaning. Match Pairs

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-C, 2-A, 3-B

Anses = Considered, Befaras = Feared, Påstås = Claimed.

Is the following statement true or false? True False Rule

You can use 'bli' to form the reported passive (e.g., 'Det blir sagt att...').

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False

Reporting verbs almost exclusively use the s-passive in Swedish.

Complete the dialogue with the correct hearsay marker. Dialogue Completion

A: Kommer han på festen? B: Han ___ vara lite sjuk, så vi får se.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: lär

'Lär' is used to express that you've heard something but aren't certain.

Which of these are passive reporting verbs? Grammar Sorting

1. Hoppas, 2. Tros, 3. Andas, 4. Anses

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 2 and 4

'Hoppas' and 'Andas' are deponens verbs (active meaning), while 'Tros' and 'Anses' are passive reporting verbs.

Score: /8

연습 문제

8 exercises

Choose the correct form for a formal report. 객관식

Det ___ att ekonomin kommer att förbättras.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sägs

The impersonal passive 'Det sägs' is the standard way to report general beliefs.

Complete the personal passive construction.

Han sägs ___ (vara) en skicklig kirurg.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vara

After 'sägs', we use the infinitive 'vara'.

Find the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Det ryktas han ska flytta till London.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Missing 'att'

Impersonal reporting with 'Det' requires the subjunction 'att'.

Change from active to personal passive: 'Man tror att hon har vunnit.' Sentence Transformation

Hon ___ ___ vunnit.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tros ha

The subject 'Hon' moves to the front, 'tror' becomes 'tros', and 'har' becomes the infinitive 'ha'.

Match the Swedish reporting verb with its English meaning. Match Pairs

1. Anses, 2. Befaras, 3. Påstås

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-C, 2-A, 3-B

Anses = Considered, Befaras = Feared, Påstås = Claimed.

Is the following statement true or false? True False Rule

You can use 'bli' to form the reported passive (e.g., 'Det blir sagt att...').

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False

Reporting verbs almost exclusively use the s-passive in Swedish.

Complete the dialogue with the correct hearsay marker. Dialogue Completion

A: Kommer han på festen? B: Han ___ vara lite sjuk, så vi får se.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: lär

'Lär' is used to express that you've heard something but aren't certain.

Which of these are passive reporting verbs? Grammar Sorting

1. Hoppas, 2. Tros, 3. Andas, 4. Anses

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 2 and 4

'Hoppas' and 'Andas' are deponens verbs (active meaning), while 'Tros' and 'Anses' are passive reporting verbs.

Score: /8

자주 묻는 질문 (8)

'Man säger' is more informal and common in speech. 'Det sägs' is more formal and common in writing and news.

Yes, but it is more common in journalism and speech. In very formal academic writing, 'Det anses' or 'Det uppges' is preferred.

Because 'sägs' is the main verb, any following verb must be in the infinitive. The infinitive of 'har' is 'ha'.

Yes, but 'Det ryktas' implies that many people are talking about it, whereas 'Jag har hört' is just your personal experience.

No! Some are deponens (active meaning, like 'hoppas') and some are reciprocal (mutual action, like 'ses').

Only in very formal, high-level Swedish. It means 'is likely to' or 'ought to be'.

Yes, the verb comes first: 'Anses han vara bäst?'

Technically yes, but for reporting, it's mostly used with verbs of communication and thought.

In Other Languages

English high

It is said that... / He is said to...

Swedish uses a single verb form (sägs) instead of two (is said).

German moderate

Man sagt... / Es wird gesagt...

Swedish avoids 'blir' (wird) for reporting verbs.

Spanish high

Se dice que...

In Swedish, the '-s' is a suffix, while 'se' is a separate particle.

French moderate

On dit que... / Il est dit que...

Swedish s-passive is more common in writing than the French 'il est dit'.

Japanese moderate

〜と言われている (~to iwarete iru)

Japanese often uses a continuous form (iwarete iru) which Swedish doesn't have.

Chinese low

据说 (jùshuō)

Swedish uses verb conjugation, Chinese uses lexical markers.

Arabic moderate

يُقال أن (yuqālu anna)

Swedish uses a suffix, Arabic uses vowel changes (apophony).

Passive Nuances

Related Grammar Rules

Tense Changes

## Overview In Swedish, when we want to report information without focusing on the person who said it, we use passive re...

Passive in Past

## Overview In Swedish, the passive voice is a elegant way to shift focus away from the 'who' and onto the 'what'. When...

Passive in Present

## Overview In Swedish, the passive voice is a fundamental tool for shifting focus. When you use the active voice, like...

Passive Construction

## What is the Passive Voice? In Swedish, the passive voice (`passiv diates`) is a way of structuring a sentence so that...

Passive in Tenses

## Overview of the Swedish Passive In Swedish, the passive voice is a powerful tool used to shift the focus of a sentenc...

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