-s-

Compound Linking -s-

Level 3

An extra '-s-' is sometimes added between two words when making a compound noun, like 'kärlek' (love) + 'brev' (letter) → 'kärleksbrev' (love letter).

How It Works

In Swedish, when two nouns are combined to form a compound noun, a linking element is sometimes inserted between them. The most common one is -s-, known as a 'fog-s'.

Origin and Function
Historically, this '-s-' comes from the genitive case, which indicates possession or a close relationship. For example, 'stadens bibliotek' (the city's library) becomes the compound noun 'stadsbibliotek' (city library). While the origin is the genitive, today it is a conventional compound marker. Pronunciation alone does not determine whether to insert it.

When to use -s-
There are no absolute rules, but here are some strong guidelines:

  • When the first part is itself a compound noun: fotboll + match → fotbollsmatch (football match)
  • When the first part ends in certain suffixes like -dom, -het, -lek, -skap, -tion:
    • frihet + gudinna → frihetsgudinna; the definite form is frihetsgudinnan
    • vetenskap + man → vetenskapsman (scientist)
    • information + disk → informationsdisk (information desk)
  • When the first part is a noun derived from a verb, often ending in -ing or -ning: forskning + rapport → forskningsrapport (research report)

When NOT to use -s-

  • When the first part ends in a vowel (usually): skola + gård → skolgård (schoolyard).
  • When the first part already ends in an s-sound (s, x, z): buss + resa → bussresa (bus trip)

Ultimately, learning which compounds use a linking '-s-' comes from exposure and practice. When in doubt, it's best to look up the word.

Examples (5)

  1. Jag lånade en bok från stadsbiblioteket.

    I borrowed a book from the city library.

    Word by Word: I borrowed a book from the city-library-the.

    Here, 'stad' (city) and 'bibliotek' (library) are joined by '-s-' to form 'stadsbibliotek'. The '-s-' connects the two nouns.

  2. Han skrev ett kärleksbrev till henne.

    He wrote a love letter to her.

    Word by Word: He wrote a love-letter to her.

    The compound noun 'kärleksbrev' is formed from 'kärlek' (love) + '-s-' + 'brev' (letter).

  3. Ska vi titta på fotbollsmatchen ikväll?

    Shall we watch the football match tonight?

    Word by Word: Shall we watch on the football-match-the tonight?

    The first part, 'fotboll', is already a compound noun ('fot' + 'boll'). When it becomes the first part of a new compound, it often takes a linking '-s-': 'fotbollsmatch'.

  4. En forskningsrapport publicerades igår.

    A research report was published yesterday.

    Word by Word: A research-report was-published yesterday.

    Nouns ending in '-ning', like 'forskning' (research), frequently use a linking '-s-' when forming compounds like 'forskningsrapport'.

  5. Hon är universitetsstudent i Lund.

    She is a university student in Lund.

    Word by Word: She is university-student in Lund.

    The word 'universitetsstudent' is formed from 'universitet' + '-s-' + 'student'.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the linking -s- when it's required.

    Jag läser en kärlekroman.
    Jag läser en kärleksroman.

    Nouns like 'kärlek' almost always require a linking '-s-' when they are the first part of a compound noun. 'Kärlekroman' sounds unnatural; 'kärleksroman' is correct.

  • Adding an unnecessary linking -s-.

    Barnen leker på skolasgården.
    Barnen leker på skolgården.

    When the first noun ends in a vowel, like 'skola' (school), a linking '-s-' is usually not added. The final -a is removed in this compound: skola → skol- + gård → skolgård.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-s-Level 3Compound Linking -s-

Learn This First

To understand the linking -s-, you first need to understand how Swedish forms compound nouns by joining words together. It is also helpful to be familiar with the possessive -s-, as the linking element often follows similar patterns where the first part of the compound acts as a modifier to the second.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.