Fiendernas besegrande

Level 6

An objective genitive names the object of a related verb: fiendernas besegrande corresponds to att besegra fienderna. It differs from a subjective genitive, which names the related subject.

How It Works

The objective genitive is a specific use of the genitive case where the genitive noun is not the possessor or the agent, but rather the logical object of an action expressed by another noun. This construction is characteristic of a more formal, written, or nominal style of Swedish.

Subjective vs. Objective Genitive
It's crucial to distinguish it from the subjective genitive, which corresponds to the subject of the related verbal clause. The subject need not be a deliberate agent.

  • Subjective Genitive: Lärarens ankomst (The teacher's arrival). This corresponds to the verbal phrase Läraren ankommer (The teacher arrives). 'Läraren' is the subject.
  • Objective Genitive: Stadens förstörelse (The city's destruction). This corresponds to a phrase like Någon förstör staden (Someone destroys the city). 'Staden' is the object.

Structure and Usage
The typical structure is [Genitive Noun (Object)] + [Action Noun].

The action noun is often a nominalization, a noun created from a verb. Common suffixes include:

  • -ande/-ende: fiendernas besegrande (the defeating of the enemies)
  • -ning: patientens behandling (the patient’s treatment)
  • -else: fiendens förgörelse (the enemy's annihilation)
  • -tion: kyrkans restauration (the restoration of the church)

Alternative with Prepositions
In modern, especially spoken, Swedish, a prepositional expression or a clause can be clearer. The preposition depends on the head noun and intended relation; it is not freely interchangeable.

  • Fiendernas besegrande → Besegrandet av fienderna
  • Kärleken till sanningen (The love for the truth) → Here 'till' is used.

The objective genitive remains common in fixed expressions, headlines, and academic or bureaucratic texts for its conciseness.

Potential Ambiguity
Sometimes, a phrase can be ambiguous without context. For example, Guds kärlek (God's love) could mean 'the love God feels' (subjective) or 'the love felt for God' (objective).

Naming Both Participants
Do not automatically add an agent with av after an objective genitive. A clear model is Elevernas besvarande av frågorna: the genitive names the students, while av names the questions being answered. Alternatively, use a verbal clause: Eleverna besvarade frågorna. The shorter objective frågornas besvarande leaves the answerer unnamed. A fuller phrase such as frågornas besvarande genom elevernas försorg uses a different construction.

Ambiguity And Style Are Not Grammar Errors
Fångens bevakning var slarvig is grammatical when it means that the prisoner was poorly guarded. Vaktens bevakning av fången var slarvig makes the guard explicit through a subjective genitive. Likewise, bilarnas körande is a possible nominal expression, but the cars are the understood subject of köra: it is not an objective genitive. The everyday verbal alternative is Jag hörde bilarna köra på gatan.

Objective genitives are established with particular nouns, especially in formal prose and fixed combinations. Do not freely convert every verb’s object into a genitive before any related noun.

Examples (5)

  1. Fiendernas besegrande var en vändpunkt i kriget.

    The defeating of the enemies was a turning point in the war.

    Word by Word: The enemies' defeating was a turning point in the war.

    'Fiendernas' is the object of the action 'besegrande' (defeating). It's equivalent to saying 'att besegra fienderna' (to defeat the enemies).

  2. Han ägnade sitt liv åt vetenskapens främjande.

    He dedicated his life to the advancement of science.

    Word by Word: He dedicated his life to the science's advancement.

    'Vetenskapens' (of science) is the object being advanced ('främjande').

  3. Regeringens störtande skedde över en natt.

    The overthrowing of the government happened overnight.

    Word by Word: The government's overthrowing happened over one night.

    'Regeringens' is the object of the action 'störtande' (overthrowing). Someone overthrew the government.

  4. Byggnadens uppförande tog två år.

    The construction of the building took two years.

    Word by Word: The building’s construction took two years.

    Byggnadens corresponds to the object in Man uppförde byggnaden: the building was constructed. The construction company or another agent is not named in this phrase.

  5. Patientens behandling påbörjades omedelbart.

    The patient's treatment was started immediately.

    Word by Word: The patient's treatment was started immediately.

    'Patientens' is the object of 'behandling' (treatment). The patient is the one being treated.

How It Connects

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

Fiendernas besegrandeLevel 6

Learn This First

To understand the objective genitive (e.g., 'fiendernas besegrande' meaning 'the defeating of the enemies'), you first need to be comfortable with how the genitive case is formed in Swedish. You also need to understand how verbs are transformed into nouns using suffixes like -ning or -ande/-ende, as these verbal nouns act as the head of the phrase while the genitive noun functions as the logical object of that action.