S-passive
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The S-passive turns active verbs into passive ones by simply adding an '-s' to the end of the verb.
- Add '-s' to the present tense: 'läser' (reads) becomes 'läses' (is read).
- Use it when the actor is unknown or unimportant to the sentence.
- It cannot be used with verbs that already end in '-s' or certain auxiliary constructions.
Meanings
The S-passive is used to describe an action where the subject is the receiver of the action, rather than the doer. It is a concise way to express general truths or formal procedures.
General Passive
Focus on the action rather than the person doing it.
“Boken läses av många.”
“Mat serveras klockan tolv.”
Reciprocal
Actions done to each other.
“Vi ses imorgon.”
“De hörs varje dag.”
S-Passive Formation
| Active Present | S-Passive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| läser | läses | is read |
| skriver | skrivs | is written |
| bygger | byggs | is built |
| stänger | stängs | is closed |
| öppnar | öppnas | is opened |
| säljer | säljs | is sold |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Verb + s | Huset byggs. |
| Negative | Verb + s + inte | Huset byggs inte. |
| Question | Verb + s + [subject]? | Byggs huset? |
| Reciprocal | Verb + s | Vi ses. |
| Modal | Modal + verb (no s) | Huset ska byggas. |
| Past | Blev + participle | Huset blev byggt. |
Espectro de formalidade
Dörren öppnas. (General)
Dörren öppnas. (General)
Man öppnar dörren. (General)
Dörren åker upp. (General)
S-Passive Functions
Passive
- byggs is built
Reciprocal
- ses see each other
Examples by Level
Mat serveras här.
Food is served here.
Huset målas.
The house is being painted.
Boken läses.
The book is read.
Dörren öppnas.
The door is opened.
Här rökas ej.
Smoking is not permitted here.
Vad sägs?
What is being said?
Brevet skrivs nu.
The letter is being written now.
Kaffet dricks.
The coffee is drunk.
Beslut fattas på måndag.
Decisions are made on Monday.
Vi ses imorgon.
We will see each other tomorrow.
Regler följs alltid.
Rules are always followed.
Det hoppas vi.
We hope so.
Frågan diskuteras ingående.
The question is discussed in depth.
Resultaten presenteras snart.
The results will be presented soon.
Det sägs att det regnar.
It is said that it is raining.
Målet nås genom samarbete.
The goal is reached through cooperation.
Det antas att teorin stämmer.
It is assumed that the theory is correct.
Hänsyn tas till alla.
Consideration is given to everyone.
Det bör påpekas att...
It should be pointed out that...
Saken anses avgjord.
The matter is considered settled.
Det förutsätts att avtalet efterlevs.
It is presupposed that the agreement is complied with.
Det må sägas att...
It may be said that...
Det tillskrivs ofta författaren.
It is often attributed to the author.
Det eftersträvas en lösning.
A solution is being sought.
Easily Confused
Both are passive, but used in different tenses.
They end in -s but aren't passive.
They look like passive but mean 'each other'.
Erros comuns
Huset är byggs
Huset byggs
Jag byggs huset
Huset byggs
Huset byggas
Huset byggs
Huset byggar
Huset byggs
Det finnss
Det finns
Huset byggdes (present)
Huset byggs
Vi ses varandra
Vi ses
Huset ska byggs
Huset ska byggas
Det säges
Det sägs
Han hoppas (passive)
Han hoppas (deponent)
Det förutsättes
Det förutsätts
Det eftersträvas av oss
Vi eftersträvar det
Det anses vara gjord
Det anses vara gjort
Sentence Patterns
___ byggs nu.
Här ___ ej.
Det ___ att...
Vi ___ imorgon.
Real World Usage
Festen hålls på lördag!
Vi ses!
Resultat uppnås genom hårt arbete.
Biljetter köps här.
Mat lagas nu.
Ny lag antas.
Check the tense
Don't over-passive
Reciprocal usage
Formal tone
Smart Tips
Use S-passive to remove yourself from the sentence.
Use 'ses' to sound natural.
Look for the -s to understand the rule.
If it's not present, don't use S-passive.
Pronúncia
The -s sound
The -s is pronounced as a sharp 's' sound, not 'sh'.
Falling
Huset byggs ↓
Statement of fact.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Add an S to make it passive, like a 'Silent' actor.
Visual Association
Imagine a house being built by invisible workers. The house is just 'building-s' itself.
Rhyme
When the actor is out of sight, add an S to make it right.
Story
The king wanted his castle built. He didn't care who did it. He shouted, 'Huset byggs!' The workers appeared, and the castle was built. Now, whenever he wants something done, he just adds an -s.
Word Web
Desafio
Write 5 sentences about things happening in your room right now using the S-passive.
Notas culturais
The S-passive is used to sound objective and avoid blaming individuals.
Headlines often use the S-passive to save space and sound official.
Using 'ses' is the standard way to say goodbye.
The S-passive comes from the Old Norse reflexive pronoun 'sik' (himself/themselves).
Conversation Starters
Vad sägs om vädret?
När öppnas butiken?
Hur ses vi imorgon?
Vad anses vara bäst?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Huset ___ (bygga) nu.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Huset är byggs.
Han läser boken.
A: Ska vi träffas? B: Ja, vi ___.
mat / serveras / här
Byggs
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesHuset ___ (bygga) nu.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Huset är byggs.
Han läser boken.
A: Ska vi träffas? B: Ja, vi ___.
mat / serveras / här
Byggs
läser -> ?
Score: /8
Perguntas frequentes (8)
No, use the 'bli-passive' for past tense.
It is a deponent verb, not a passive one.
It comes from the old reflexive 'sik'.
When you want to emphasize the person doing the action.
It is neutral to formal, very common in news.
Don't add another -s.
S-passive is for state/habit, 'bli' is for action/event.
Yes, but use the infinitive form.
In Other Languages
Se + verb
Spanish puts 'se' before the verb; Swedish puts -s after.
Se + verb
French is less productive with passive 'se' than Swedish is with -s.
Werden + participle
German has no single-letter passive suffix.
Verb + -reru
Japanese passive suffix is much longer and more complex.
Bei + agent
Chinese passive is a separate word, not a suffix.
Internal vowel change
Arabic uses morphology, not a suffix.
