bakom
Behind
'Bakom' means 'behind'. It's a preposition used to talk about the position of something.
How It Works
'Bakom' is a common preposition of place in Swedish. It's straightforward and works much like its English equivalent, 'behind'.
It is used to describe the location of a person or object relative to another.
Key points:
- It can describe a location, answering Var?, or a destination in a motion context.
- As a preposition it takes a noun phrase, including a pronoun: bakom huset, bakom dig. It can also be an adverb when the reference is understood: Du går först, jag går bakom.
- The noun following 'bakom' is usually in the definite form if it's a specific, known object (e.g., 'bakom huset' - behind the house).
Bakom also has figurative uses: stå bakom ett beslut means support a decision. The form does not change between a position and movement to that position. Whether the following noun is definite depends on what is being referred to: bakom ett träd is also normal.
Examples (4)
- Katten gömmer sig bakom soffan.
The cat is hiding behind the sofa.
Word by Word: The-cat hides itself behind the-sofa.
- Jag parkerade bilen bakom huset.
I parked the car behind the house.
Word by Word: I parked the-car behind the-house.
- Vem står bakom dig?
Who is standing behind you?
Word by Word: Who stands behind you?
- Solen går ner bakom bergen.
The sun is setting behind the mountains.
Word by Word: The-sun goes down behind the-mountains.
Common Mistakes
Using efter when the intended meaning is a hiding place behind a door.
Han står efter dörren.Han står bakom dörren.Bakom dörren is the ordinary expression for a hiding or standing place behind the door. Efter is used for time and sequence, and can also describe physical following, as in Han går efter mig. Thus efter is not excluded from spatial contexts in general.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The preposition 'bakom' is a foundational spatial concept. To use it effectively in sentences, a learner needs to understand how nouns are formed, particularly the definite singular suffix, as spatial relations usually refer to specific objects.
Related Patterns
- framförIn Front of
'Framför' means 'in front of' and is the direct opposite of 'bakom'. They are both prepositions of place.
Level 1 - bredvidNext To/beside
'Bredvid' means 'next to' or 'beside'. It's another basic preposition of place, often learned together with 'bakom' and 'framför'.
Level 1 - iIn
'I' (in) is another fundamental preposition of place. Learning 'bakom' alongside other basic prepositions like 'i' and 'på' helps build a foundational understanding of how to describe locations.
Level 1 - påOn/at
'På' (on) is also a core preposition of place. Understanding the difference between 'bakom', 'i', and 'på' is essential for describing where things are.
Level 1 - var/vartWhere (Location/direction)
Bakom can occur in a location answer (Var står hon? Bakom huset) or a destination answer (Vart gick hon? Bakom huset). The intended spatial relation and the verb phrase determine the question.
Level 1 - Definite articles
Prepositions like 'bakom' are often followed by a noun in its definite form (e.g., 'bakom huset' - behind the house) to refer to a specific object.
Foundations
Words in This Pattern
Practice bakom in Bubblegum
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